Tennessee state flag.
SHARE Everyone is invited to address three state senators with questions and comments about privatization, healthcare and gun laws at the League of Women Voters of Knoxville/Knox County's annual Legislative Breakfast on Saturday. The continental breakfast, co-sponsored by the News Sentinel, will be from 9-11 a.m. in the Knox Room of the News Sentinel, 2332 News Sentinel Drive. Senators Richard Briggs, Becky Massey and Randy McNally are expected to take part in a question-and-answer session at the meeting. The senators will take comments and concerns about upcoming legislation of the 109th Tennessee General Assembly, set to convene next week. Issues such as the reallocation of surplus revenues and the regulation of marijuana and handgun permits will be addressed, along with ongoing talks on state facility management outsourcing. The league also is hosting a legislative skills training session in Nashville on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The training will take place at the Legislative Plaza, 301 6th Ave. North, room 16. The training will include a tour of the Legislative Plaza, the State Capitol and the War Memorial Building. The league is a nonpartisan political organization, dedicated to encouraging government participation and education on political issues. Members actively work to educate the public on major policy issues and to influence public policy through their educational and advocacy activities. Dedicated to information and activity only, the league never supports or opposes any political parties or candidates. For more information and to register for the training, visit http://lwvknoxville.org. Tthe entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE By Frank Munger of the Knoxville News Sentinel OAK RIDGE Security police at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant confiscated what was described as a "weather balloon" that reportedly landed Sunday afternoon on Pine Ridge near the national-security installation. Steven Wyatt, a spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration, said the balloon was reportedly part of a "geospatial balloon challenge" that originated in Middle Tennessee. He said he did not have further details on the competition or why the balloon landed where it did adjacent to the city of Oak Ridge's water treatment plant. He said the balloon did not pose a security threat. "We're not treating it as a security incident per se," Wyatt said. "The balloon is currently under Y-12 custody." There apparently were participants in the competition who were following the balloon's flight. Wyatt said he was unaware of any charges in the incident, and no one was immediately available for comment at the Oak Ridge Police Department. Ralph Hutchison, coordinator of the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, said members of his group noticed a commotion at Y-12 on Sunday evening while they were staging their weekly peace vigil across from the plant. Hutchison said there were multiple security vehicles and Oak Ridge Police Department cars with flashing lights that gathered near the plant's entrance. Hutchison said a red truck also was part of the gathering in the parking lot at Y-12's New Hope Center. Ricky Lynn Bunch, Tazewell man fatally shot by police. (CLAIBORNE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE) SHARE By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel The widow of an East Tennessee man fatally shot by law enforcement has filed a $13 million federal civil-rights lawsuit alleging authorities orchestrated his death through both negligence and ill will. Melinda Bunch, the widow of Ricky Lynn Bunch, is suing Claiborne County Sheriff David Ray, Grainger County Sheriff James Harville and deputies with both men's agencies in her husband's September 2014 shooting death. Ricky Bunch, 40, of Tazewell died in a hail of bullets fired by deputies from both agencies in a confrontation that began with a chase in Claiborne County and ended in what authorities described as a standoff on a roadway in Grainger County. PDF: Lawsuit filed in shooting death of Ricky Lynn Bunch In the lawsuit, attorney Troy Bowlin lists among the traditional causes of action cited in such lawsuits a novel one "state created danger." While stopping short of alleging Bunch's death was intentional, Bowlin suggests in the lawsuit Ray had cause to want Bunch silenced that casts suspicion over every action and reaction taken on the day Bunch died. According to the lawsuit, Bunch was beaten up in the Claiborne County Jail two weeks before the fatal shooting and later told his lover Ray's former administrative secretary he planned to sue Ray and the Claiborne County Sheriff's Office. The woman is identified in the lawsuit but not named as a defendant. Bowlin alleges the lover told Ray about Bunch's threats. On the day of the fatal shooting, Bunch had borrowed a relative's car, returned it but then took it again without permission, the lawsuit stated. The relative did not report the car stolen, but someone else did, Bowlin wrote. The relative later confirmed to Claiborne deputies Bunch did not have his permission to take the car a second time, but the lawsuit is silent on whether the relative filed a formal theft complaint. "Instead of waiting for Mr. Bunch to return to the house with (the relative's) car and making a charging decision then, Claiborne County Sheriff's Department commenced a search for the car and Ricky Lynn Bunch and when located, commenced a chase, ultimately enlisting the aid of Grainger County Sheriffs Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tazewell Police Department and New Tazewell Police Department," the lawsuit stated. Ray and his deputies knew Bunch suffered mental issues and went armed with guns for which he had a carry permit but, the lawsuit alleges, did not convey either of those details to the other agencies involved in the case. Once in Grainger County, Bunch "blew the engine of the car he was driving," the lawsuit stated. "The car stopped in its tracks, preventing him from going anywhere and creating a stand off." The lawsuit alleges someone with the Claiborne County Sheriff's Office summoned Melinda Bunch to the scene but then blocked her from getting near the actual standoff area. She was sitting in a patrol car and heard over the cruiser radio sounds from the shooting itself, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges Ricky Bunch was shot "no less than 10 times." Although authorities later said Bunch had a rifle and a gun in his possession, the lawsuit alleged the weapons were never tested to determine if he fired them. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which probed the shooting, has refused to turn over any information to the widow, the lawsuit alleged. "Any claims that Mr. Bunch actually fired those weapons during the chase or the standoff cannot be substantiated because neither the TBI, nor any law enforcement department at the scene retained and tested those weapons, but instead returned them to (the widow)," Bowlin wrote. "Had they been fired by the Decedent they would have been retained by the TBI as evidence as was Mr. Bunch's pocket knife and cigarette lighter." Attempts to reach attorneys for the defendants listed in the lawsuit were unsuccessful. The TBI is not named as a party. The defendants' attorneys have not yet filed responses. SHARE Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to outsource Tennessee state jobs to for-profit contractors violates two of his core promises: First, to bring good jobs to Tennessee; second, to increase Tennesseans' access to medical care. His outsourcing plan will destroy thousands of good, solid Tennessee jobs, now being done very efficiently by state employees. That's according to studies showing University of Tennessee-Knoxville maintenance at below-average costs. By cutting thousands of good jobs, the governor's plan will also make college less affordable for the thousands of kids in those families. How can a private contractor do the job for less? By hiring only less-skilled and lower-paid workers, and by cutting off their benefits such as health plans and pension savings plans. Then those burdens fall on the rest of us. Those of us at UTK endured such an experiment with contractors some years ago. It resulted in shoddy work; unfamiliar, untrusted workers in our halls at night; and some thefts. The governor's plan is supposedly not final yet, but some UTK workers were informed two months ago that their jobs would end at the end of the year. It's time for Tennesseans to send a message to remind the governor to stick to his promises: Don't sell out Tennessee. John Bohstedt, Knoxville 2:38 p.m.January 3, 2016 Over $2.8M repaid to Tennesseans in 2015 NASHVILLE If you have been denied an insurance claim, you can contact the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurances (TDCI) Consumer Insurance Services Division to file a complaint. As a result of complaints filed in 2015, more than $2.8 million was repaid as a result of TDCIs restitution efforts on behalf of Tennessee consumers. The Department is an advocate for Tennessee consumers of all walks of life, TDCI Assistant Commissioner, Insurance Division Michael Humphreys said. The repayment this year of more than $2.8 million was the result of our insurance investigators mediating between the company and policyholders in order to get denied claims overturned and paid for the policyholder. By comparison, TDCI provided over $6.3 million in restitution during 2014, which includes the overturning of a large commercial claim in excess of $2 million. TDCI encourages policyholders to remember that filing a complaint or otherwise contacting TDCI is always an option if they are ever denied a claim or even have a question or concern about their insurance policies. Consumers should always remember a few handy tips for working with their insurance companies: Do your homework before purchasing a policy for any line of insurance. Read the policies so youll know and understand its provisions before filing a claim. Verify that the company and the agent are licensed in Tennessee before you buy. Visit TDCIs website to verify license status. Look up complaint data to see how well a company is responding to consumer issues. Homeowners should always keep pictures and/or receipts for all contents on your property. (Most fire losses leave nothing.) Digital tools such as MyHome Scr.APP.book lets you quickly capture images and descriptions of your belongings to help you determine how much insurance you need and for filing a claim. For auto policies, know your coverage limits and what is required by state law. The WreckCheck app guides you through the steps to take following an auto accident. For health policies, make sure your doctor and/or healthcare facility is participating in the network of your insurance carrier. For life insurance policies, depending upon age and health status, you may or may not be eligible for certain products. If you have never purchased a life insurance policy before, you may seek the assistance of a licensed agent to help you make the choice that is best suited for your personal needs. TDCI can be contacted at 1-800-342-4029 or (615) 741-2218. Published January 3, 2016 By Choi Sung-jin Korea caught an economic cold virus if the U.S. economy sneezed for decades. China has now taken the place of America as the country that exerts greatest influence on the nation's economy. Yet now is the time for Korea to reduce its undue dependence on the two giant markets, especially China, according to a number of economics experts. The nation's largest trade group pointed in this regard to the so-called VIM markets Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar as the safety valve that could cushion the shock when shipments to China hit a snag. "Korean businesses need to pay particular attention to these three countries at a time when the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations launched an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on Dec. 31," said a booklet released by the Institute for International Trade, a think tank under the wing of the Korea International Trade Association. The AEC is now the world's seventh-largest market with a population of 620 million and gross domestic product of $2.5 trillion, and the three countries have the biggest growth potential among them, it noted, saying, "Korean exporters should advance to these countries with a mid-to long-term perspective of at least three years or longer." Vietnam, for instance, has emerged as Korea's fourth-largest export market, exceeding Japan, last year. The Southeast Asian country, a member of all three regional free trade agreements Trans-Pacific Partnership, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation will enjoy high popularity as the new manufacturing hub, said the think tank. Indonesia, which accounts for 33 percent of the 10-nation group's GDP, is another promising market, with a population of 250 million and abundant natural resources. Despite a global business slump since 2010, Indonesia's economy has grown at a steady rate of 5-6 percent. Myanmar, which will usher in a new government in March, is called the "last frontier market" of Southeast Asia. Myanmar's labor costs, currently one-fifth of China's, and its natural gas and other resources make the country one of the most attractive in the world for investment, the think tank said, noting that its economy has also grown 7-8 percent over the past three years. "VIM markets may not exactly replace China but can reduce Korea's excessive and risky reliance on the world's second-largest market," the book said. "Their impression of Korea is also good thanks in part to the hallyu, so Korean businesses should make efforts to preempt the market with a long-term strategy." The nation's market diversification efforts may not necessarily have to be confined to Southeast Asia, other experts say. They call six countries India, Mexico, Iran, Italy, Spain and Vietnam "the post-China six," noting they can become new promising markets for Korean exporters. The six countries sharply increased their imports of made-in-Korean products based on a favorable perception of the nation, they said. Together, they took up 11.5 percent of Korea's exports, almost as large as the 13.2 percent taken by the United States, the nation's second-largest export market. "Korean businesses need to make the most of these countries as either new manufacturing bases or untapped export markets," said Yoon Won-seok, an official at the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, who leads a team responsible for providing trade information for exporters. By Choi Sung-jin The domestic rice price remains weak and is expected to stay low for some time, putting a strain on farmers and throwing policymakers into a dilemma. The average price during the last harvest season was 152,158 won ($128.6) per 80 kg, down 15,188 won, or 9.1 percent, from the 2014 season, according to CS&J, a private think tank specializing in food and agricultural research. It attributed the price weakness to last year's bumper crops and huge government stockpiles. The "reverse seasonal fluctuation" _ the price fall in the non-harvest season from the previous year's harvest season _ also stood at a relatively high 4.5 percent in 2014, discouraging processing companies from buying more. As a result, the rice price remained low during the last harvest season despite the government's additional purchase of 200,000 tons, it said. On Dec. 25, the price in production areas fell a further 504 won from 10 days before, down 10 percent from the same day in 2014. Another big factor behind the price softness is the long-suspended grain aid to North Korea. According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, rice aid of up to 400,000 tons to North Korea between 2002 and 2007 helped push up the consumer price by 1.4 percent on the annual average by reducing the government's stockpiles, from 26.2 percent to 13.7 percent. Farming households' selling prices also rose 1.3 percent during the period. The isolationist regime suffers from chronic food shortage. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said last week it would supply surplus rice as animal feed while taking 30,000 hectares of farming land, out of production. Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, said Monday that its December sales grew 8.5 percent on-year on strong sales at home and abroad. Hyundai Motor said in a press release that it sold 516,359 vehicles in December, compared with 475,997 units a year before. Domestic sales jumped 18.3 percent on-year to 82,060 units, and overseas shipments also rose 6.8 percent to 434,299 units. For 2015, Hyundai Motor sold a cumulative 4,964,837 vehicles, almost the same as it did in 2014. Earlier in the day, Hyundai Motor said that it aims to sell 5.01 million cars here and in overseas markets this year. (Yonhap) GM Korea Co., the local unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors Co., said Monday that its sales in December grew 7.6 percent from a year earlier, driven in part by strong overseas shipments. The carmaker sold 61,338 units last month, up from the previous year's 57,015 units, the company said in a press release. Its domestic sales rose 1 percent on-year to 18,287 units, while overseas shipments expanded 10.7 percent to 43,051 units. Meanwhile, GM Korea said its annual sales in 2015 shrank 1.4 percent to 621,872 units. (Yonhap) By Lee Hyo-sik Shin Bark-jae NPX Semiconductors Korea Chairman Shin Bark-jae won a second-term as vice chairman of the World Chambers Federation (WCF) at the organization's general meeting in Paris, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Monday. Shin, who has been serving in the post since September 2012, will remain through Dec. 31, 2018. The WCF, affiliated with the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC), issues certificates of origin for 2,000 ICC members in 140 countries, promoting cross-border trade. "I will continue to do my best to reflect the interests of Korean companies at the international organization that sets rules for cross-border trade," Shin said after winning the three-year term. "I will also play a part in raising the global profile of domestic firms." By Lee Hyo-sik Ma Won, Jin Air CEO Aviation authorities will conduct a stringent safety inspection on Jin Air and other domestic low-cost carriers (LCCs) this month, after a series of safety lapses. The check is expected to raise consumer concerns over the carriers' operational safety. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Monday that its inspectors will soon begin an unscheduled safety inspection on the nation's six low-cost carriers Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Busan, T'way Air, Eastar Jet and Air Incheon. Air Incheon is a freight operator based at Incheon International Airport. "A growing number of travelers flying with budget carriers complain about a string of incidents plaguing the airlines," a transport ministry official said. Flight cancellations and delays had mostly been caused by various safety lapses, he said. "We need to ensure that low-cost airlines operate in accordance with rules and regulations," the official said. He said the ministry would examine how LCCs handled safety-related matters and whether the carriers abided by state regulations. "Based on what we find from the inspection, we will introduce new safety guidelines to oblige budget airlines to invest more to enhance their safety records," the official said. It is expected to take about a week to examine each carrier. Over the past few years, budget carriers have been mobilizing resources to expand routes and attract as many travelers as possible to catch up with the country's two flagship carriers Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. However, the low-cost airlines have been criticized for paying less attention to operational safety of their planes and the training of pilots and other crew. Pilots, maintenance crews and other personnel at LCCs are reportedly overworked to keep up with busy flight schedules. On Sunday, a Jin Air flight bound for Gimhae International Airport from Cebu, carrying 163 passengers, was forced to return to the Philippines after about 30 minutes because of abnormal noise from a door. Jin Air is the low-cost unit of Korean Air. Emily Cho, the youngest daughter of Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho, is a senior vice president in charge of marketing and communications. On Dec. 23, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 bound for Jeju International Airport from Seoul suddenly nosedived, sending 152 passengers into panic, with dozens injured. Initially, the malfunctioning of the self-pressurized system was believed to have caused the plunge. But after an initial inspection, the transport ministry said inspectors found no mechanical problem, suspecting pilot error was behind the incident. Besides the two latest incidents, Jin Air, Jeju Air and other budget carriers have been blamed for many more flight cancellations and delays, resulting in many complaints. The ministry said it would take administrative steps against Jin Air and Jeju Air when inspectors conclude their investigations into the Dec. 23 and Jan. 3 incidents. The Aviation Act, which was revised in November 2014, enables the government to impose fines of up to 600 million won on airlines violating state-set safety guidelines, up from the 10 million won. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo speaks during a ceremony, marking the start of the year at the company's headquarters in southern Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group Automaker to spend more on research, promote Genesis By Lee Hyo-sik Hyundai Motor Group is projected to sell at least 8.13 million vehicles across the globe this year, up slightly from last year's 8.01 million, by increasing sales in the United States and China, its chairman said Monday. Chairman Chung Mong-koo also said that Korea's largest automaker will invest more in research and development (R&D) in order to hone its expertise on smart, eco-friendly vehicles, as well as promoting the EQ900 (globally named G90), the first vehicle under its premium Genesis brand. "The automobile industry will face a structural shift toward eco-friendly, automated vehicles amid intensifying competition," Chung told employees during a ceremony at company headquarters in southern Seoul, Monday. "Against increasingly uncertain market conditions, it is important for us to secure core competences in order to achieve sustainable growth in the future. I want Hyundai to lead technological innovation and enhance its competitiveness." To do so, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors will expand its R&D spending to develop state-of-the-art technologies for smart, eco-friendly vehicles, said the chairman. He also said that the automakers will successfully promote its Genesis models and set up a more efficient global production and sales network with Hyundai Steel, Hyundai Glovis and other group affiliates. "Despite unfavorable market conditions, we sold more than 8 million vehicles worldwide in 2015," Chung said. "Things will not improve much in 2016 amid the Chinese slowdown, falling oil prices and the U.S. rate hikes. But we should double our efforts to increase our brand value and offer what customers want." The world's fifth-largest carmaker by production plans to produce and sell more than 8.13 million cars around the world in 2016 5.01 million for Hyundai and 3.12 million for Kia. "This year, Kia's Mexico plant and Hyundai's Changzhou plant, near Beijing, will open, pushing up the number of our plants to 34 in 10 countries," the chairman said. "We will continue to introduce aggressive marketing campaigns in the United States, China, Latin America and elsewhere to become a global powerhouse." Hyundai Motor Group plans to showcase the G90 at the Detroit Auto Show later this month, its first overseas debut, while launching a dozen new models throughout the year, including the i-Oniq and the Niro. "In addition, I would like to transform Hyundai Steel into a global leader in automotive steel and Hyundai Engineering & Construction into a global engineering firm," Chung said. "Hyundai Motor Group will boost its partnership with small businesses and create more jobs for young people." SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won speaks during a ceremony marking the start of the year at the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel in eastern Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap By Lee Hyo-sik SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won vowed Monday to fight off a host of downsize risks this year, stressing that he will not let his personal life distract him from managing Korea's third-largest family-controlled conglomerate. Chey said SK would continue to expand investments and hire workers to bolster its core competence and find new growth engines, while sharing growth with small business partners and local communities. "We will take all possible measures to ride out the ongoing difficulties," the chairman said during a ceremony marking the start of the year at the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel in eastern Seoul. "I will take the lead in turning risks into opportunities." Chey said SK would help more young people start businesses and nurture social enterprises as part of its efforts to give back to communities. The chairman made his first public appearance since Dec. 29 when he revealed he had been having an extramarital affair and had fathered a daughter out of wedlock. He also wants to divorce his wife, Roh So-young, the daughter of former President Roh Tae-woo, citing irreconcilable differences. Hashima Island, also known as Battleship Island, is situated 19 kilometers southwest of Nagasaki on Japan s southernmost main island of Kyushu. In July, the 160-meters-wide, 480-meters-long island was granted world heritage status by UNESCO as one of 23 Japan s sites of the 1868-1912 Meiji Industrial Revolution for its contribution to rapid industrialization. / Korea Times photo by Kim Hyo-jin By Kim Hyo-jin NAGASAKI, Japan "People called it a dream island," tour guide Matsuzaki told tourists on Japan's "Battleship Island," a manmade island which, true to its nickname, juts out of silver-gray waters like a World War Two battleship, 30 minutes from the Nagasaki coast. The pace of development on Battleship Island was faster than any other place in Japan. Once a thriving coal mine developed by Mitshbishi since 1890 and a symbol of Japan's industrialization, the island was abandoned in 1974 when a lack of demand for coal in the market caused it to close. This is the seven-floor concrete apartment named No. 30 apartment. The building was built in 1916 as a residence for mine workers, becoming the first apartment building in Japan. / Korea Times Now, the crumbling concrete buildings and remnants of a once-thriving coal mine await tourists from around the world who are drawn to the eerie appearance of the uninhabited island, more recently made famous as a villain's lair in the James Bond movie "Skyfall." Japan's bid to list the island as a UNESCO world heritage site has drawn controversy. In the 1940s, hundreds of Koreans were drafted and forced to work on the island. More than one in eight Korean workers died under harsh working and living conditions, according to official records. A banner at Nagasaki reads "Congratulations on sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution enlisted UNESCO world heritage sites." Behind is a passenger ship that shuttles between the port and Hashima Island. The number of tourists to the island has doubled since July and 10 boat trips carry up to 1,500 passengers a day. / Korea Times The dark side of the island's history was not included on a recent 30-minute long tour. A telling of the island's history was instead driven by a narrative which emphasized its "old-time glory." "The admirable efforts of our ancestors have made the island a UNESCO world site," Matsuzaki told tourists. Nowhere in the pamphlet handed out to tourists cited the use of conscripted foreign laborers. A brick wall, left, is the part of the main office in charge of the underwater coal mine off Hashima Island. It accommodated a shower booth for miners that provided fresh water supplied from the mainland. On right is the entrance to the main coal mine, whose stairs were connected to an elevator travelling 1,000 meters below the ground surface. / Korea Times When asked about Korean workers, a volunteer worker working on the island said, "There was no forced work here and all the workers were duly paid." Looking into the deep, dark entrance to the coal mine seemed more eerie against the backdrop of claims by local volunteers who denied the existence of forced labor on the island. "I'm unaware of the existence of foreign workers on the island," one Japanese tourist surnamed Nakhso said on a passenger boat heading back to Nagasaki. "I was just proud to see a historic place. Coal production there helped to lay the ground for modern Japan," he said. Ban Ki-moon This is the third in a series of articles highlighting the challenges faced by Korea's political leaders in 2016. ED. By Yi Whan-woo U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will remain a major figure in Korean politics this year due to rumors circulating here throughout the year about whether he will run in the 2017 presidential election. As both ruling and opposition parties are courting him to be their candidate, Ban will have to make up his mind before or after his term in the U.N. ends in December. The two main questions regarding Ban's future are: Will he launch a presidential bid? And if so, which party will he represent? Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, is expected to remain elusive about the answers to these questions. However, speculation is rampant that he will become more vocal about issues related to North Korea because talks are underway between the U.N. and the North over him possibly visiting and meeting with its young leader, Kim Jong-un. "It should be taken for granted that he will run, given that he is still the most favored among the potential candidates for the 2017 presidential race," said Choi Chang-ryul, a political professor at Yongin University. A survey of 1,000 adults jointly conducted by the Chosun Ilbo and pollster Media Research on New Year's Day showed that Ban is favored by 27.4 percent of Koreans, compared to the 15.2 percent attributed to the leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, Chairman Moon Jae-in, and ruling Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung at 10.6 percent. A separate poll by KBS, also conducted on New Year's Day, shows Ban ahead with 29.1 percent support compared to Moon's 14.4 percent and Kim's 11.2 percent. "His popularity and his evasive stance concerning the presidential race will leave room for people to believe that Ban will take the presidential election into account in his U.N. activities," Choi added. Shin Yul, a political professor at Myongji University agreed. "People, especially opposition politicians, will question whether Ban is trying to achieve something other than world peace when he brings up issues on inter-Korean affairs," he said. "It still doesn't make sense to me how he could think of going to North Korea in the wake of the terror attacks that occurred in Paris on Nov. 13 last year." Following a slew of related news reports, Ban acknowledged on Nov. 23 that he plans to visit Pyongyang although he refused to elaborate on any details. Shin also cited Pyo Changwon, a renowned criminal profiler who recently joined the Minjoo Party of Korea ahead of the parliamentary elections in April. In a Facebook post, Pyo criticized the U.N. chief for welcoming the agreement reached between South Korea and Japan on Dec. 28 over "comfort women" during Ban's telephone conversation with Park on the New Year's Day. The two nations agreed that their resolution over Tokyo's sexual enslavement of the Korean women before and during World War II was "final and irreversible." Since then, the landmark deal has stirred up controversy in South Korea because the feelings of the surviving victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery were not taken into consideration before negotiations began. However, Ban said that the President made a "brave decision" to resolve the historical dispute, which has been the biggest stumbling block against easing decades of diplomatic tension between the two nations. Asking Ban to withdraw his support for the Dec. 28 agreement, Pyo claimed that the U.N. chief owes a political debt to the late President Roh Moo-hyun for obtaining his current job. Ban was elected the eighth U.N. Secretary-General in 2006 while serving as foreign minister under Roh, who still has loyalists to his political legacy within the opposition even after his death in 2009. Ban is currently in his second five-year term at the U.N. "As a U.N. Secretary-General, it was appropriate for Ban to welcome the Seoul-Tokyo agreement because the bilateral cooperation will certainly contribute to international harmony," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University. "At the same time, it will make sense for politicians here to raise objections against Ban's remarks as long as he remains unclear whether he will run for president." However, the analysts were divided over the significance of Ban's anticipated visit to Seoul in June in relation to domestic politics. During his stay, he is likely to chair a U.N. meeting involving non-profit organizations, according to South Korea's U.N. correspondents. "Such a visit will have nothing to do with the National Assembly elections in April. Regardless of the election results, Ban will ride on the back of the President anyway, if he's interested in making a bid for the presidency," Shin said. Park Won-gon said, "Any U.N. issues involving the two Koreas will be analyzed and interpreted in relation to domestic politics." By Kang Seung-woo Rep. Ha Tae-keung Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the ruling Saenuri Party said Monday that the government should have sent a delegation to offer personal condolences for the death of Kim Yang-gon, criticizing its lax attitude toward inter-Korean relations. Kim, North Korea's top official handling inter-Korean affairs, died in a car accident last Tuesday, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), and his funeral was held on Thursday. Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo expressed his condolences on Wednesday, but the government rejected calls to send a delegation to the North. "Kim was a senior official whose ranking was higher than the deputy prime minister in the North and it is natural to send a delegation when such a high-ranking official dies, considering inter-Korean relations," Ha said during a party meeting at the National Assembly. "In addition, Kim had contributed to improving inter-Korean relations, with many acquaintances in the South. In this respect, I express regret over the government's failure to send its representatives." Ha, a North Korea human rights activist-turned-lawmaker, also said that the South should have gauged the atmosphere in the North after the passing of the high-ranking official by sending a delegation. "The government needs to strategically dispatch a delegation in the event of the death of a North Korean senior official. The government is complacent about its dealings with the North," he said. When former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died in 2011, former First Lady Lee Hee-ho, wife of late President Kim Dae-jung, and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun visited the North to offer their condolences. By Chung Ah-young The statue of a girl, a symbol of Korean sex slavery victims during World War II, stands in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. While former sex slaves oppose the Dec. 28 agreement between Korea and Japan on Japan's apology and fund offering to solve the issue, government-authored textbooks are likely to describe the issue according to the deal. / Yonhap People are focusing on how sexual slavery perpetrated by the Japanese military before and during World War II will be described in the state-authored textbooks after the deal through which Korea and Japan recently resolved a longstanding dispute over the issue. The former sex slaves and the civic groups supporting them worry that the books may say the issue was resolved through a "final and irreversible" agreement as the government claims, despite their strong opposition to the deal. In the Dec. 28 agreement, Japan offered an apology and promised a 1 billion yen payment to establish a foundation for the 46 remaining Korean survivors. However, the victims have protested the agreement, calling it humiliating, demanding Japan make a sincere apology and take legal responsibility. They also expressed concerns that the issue might be forgotten in the future if the history textbooks describe it as a finished deal or reduce its coverage. The government earlier decided to reduce the ratio of modern history content from the current 50 percent down to 40 percent in the new textbooks. Regarding concerns that the sex slavery issue might be less addressed accordingly, the Ministry of Education said that it will not reduce coverage of the issue because it was chosen as a "major lesson" for the new curriculum direction set in 2015. However, the way of describing it may change following the deal, which is likely to be described as having "concluded" the dispute. Rep. Yoo Ki-hong of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea voiced concerns over the government's possible influence over the content of the sex slavery issue. He said that if the textbooks are made by private publishers, they might reflect the victims' voices who still demand legal responsibility and compensation from Japan despite the accord between Korea and Japan. "But as the textbooks are state-authored, the content can be affected by the government," he said. "The books will not be able to carry the victims' opinions if the Japanese government objects. "We don't know who will participate in the writing, or whether those who wrote the history textbook by Kyohak Publisher were included," the lawmaker said. The textbook by Kyohak Publisher depicted how the Korean sex slaves were recruited, without mentioning the forcible conscription into sexual servitude. Such content was revised in 2013 following protests from civic groups and government recommendations. The ministry said it has not yet decided whether to carry the agreement and how to describe the issue on the new books. Besides the sexual slavery dispute, the ministry has not disclosed any of its writing criteria yet, despite originally intending to announce them in November. It still says it needs more time. It also did not disclose the list of 46 writers and 16 editors, citing protection of their privacy as well as increasing uncertainty and distrust over the textbooks. The government has been under pressure to release the identities of the writers after one of them resigned amid controversy over his qualifications. He had taught history for only nine months after working as a commerce teacher for nine years. Also, Choi Mong-ryong, professor emeritus at Seoul National University, quit the project over a sexual harassment allegation in November. Choi was one of the two leading authors. Dozen more may quit opposition this week By Kim Hyo-jin A dozen more lawmakers may leave the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) this week to join a new envisioned party led by Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, Ahn's aides said Monday. It appears highly likely that the general election scheduled for April 13 will be a three-way battle among the ruling Saenuri Party, the MPK and Ahn's party. MPK leader Rep. Moon Jae-in reiterated his intention to recruit new members in the face of the mass exodus, but his efforts may gain little support, according to political observers. Chung Dae-chul, a former lawmaker who serves as an advisor to the MPK, announced Monday that he will quit the party as early as today along with 40 to 50 members from the old Democratic Party, the predecessor of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), which changed its name to the MPK. Rep. Park Jie-won, the de facto leader of a group of legislators who reside in the Honam region in the southwest of the country, the party's traditional stronghold, is also expected to quit around Friday with fellow lawmakers. "We are close to making a decision in line with the call of voters in our constituencies," Park said during a radio interview, citing that public opinion in the Honam region is becoming increasingly negative toward the MPK. The party's advisor, Kwon Roh-gap and a group of party members loyal to the political legacy of the late President Kim Dae-jung will follow suit afterwards, according to party officials. The moves come after Rep. Kim Han-gil, co-founder of the MPK's predecessor, the NPAD, with Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, left the party Sunday. The departure of the veteran lawmaker, who led a non-mainstream faction in rivalry to the Moon-led faction whose members are loyal to the ideas of the late President Roh Moo-hyun, heralded that more legislators will follow suit. "The number of lawmakers who are planning to quit the party is large enough to form a parliamentary negotiation body," Kim told reporters, a day after he indicated his intention to join Ahn, who has increased efforts to form a new opposition party since quitting the NPAD, Dec. 13. If Ahn succeeds in forming a negotiation body before Feb. 15 by attracting over 20 incumbent lawmakers to join his camp, he will secure 8.5 billion won in subsidies provided under the Political Funding Law, 6 billion won more than funding available if the body is not formed. Ahn visited Lee Hee-ho, widow of the late former President Kim Dae-jung, Monday, with fellow lawmakers who quit the MPK and said he will carry on the spirit of the late President. Ahn said after the meeting that he told Lee, "We promise to make a party that will work for the development of both democracy and the market economy, the values upheld by the late Kim." In response, the widow asked Ahn to make efforts to retake power from conservatives, according to Ahn. The visit was viewed as a move to appeal to voters in the Honam region, who remain loyal to Kim's political legacy. At the risk of another split occurring within the party, Moon laid out his plan to attract younger figures from outside the MPK. "I'm determined to make the party more competent ahead of the general election. Empty slots caused by an exodus of incumbent lawmakers will be filled with new qualified young figures," Moon said. Moon recruited Kim Byung-kwan, board chairman of Webzen, developer and publisher of video games, following Pyo Chang-won, a renowned criminal profiler. He plans to speed up the process of scouting for new figures that possess expertise and intelligence in an effort to improve the party and its image. "It is doubtful if the move can bring momentum to the party," Choi Chang-ryol, a professor at Yongin University said. "The future of the MPK depends largely on how successfully Ahn will form a new party. Moon will continuously face the departure of a series of lawmakers who wish to join the new rising force." By Kang Seung-woo President Park Geun-hye highlighted change and reform as key words for the year ahead, Monday, saying cooperation from the National Assembly was crucial to making a success of the government's push for reform. Park made the comments during a meeting with some 220 government officials and political leaders held at Cheong Wa Dae. Main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) Chairman Moon Jae-in and floor leader Lee Jong-kul boycotted the meeting due to an ongoing political standoff over the government-proposed labor reform bills. "We are facing difficulties this year. In this situation, should we fail to reform the nation, the nation will go backwards and be in trouble," Park said during the meeting. "The national reforms will decide our future and should be done for future generations." Participants of the meeting included National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa, Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae, Constitutional Court President Park Han-chul, National Election Commission Chairman Lee In-bok and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. Park's remarks came while a drive to reform the labor market, that she believes will create jobs for young people and revive the economy, has hit a snag. "Whenever I think about the future of the nation, I feel pressed to successfully complete my three-year economic innovation plan and accomplish reform," she said. "If we fail in these moves, the nation will lose the momentum it needs for boosting the economy and creating jobs for young people." Her efforts to reform the country's rigid labor market gathered pace in September after unions, management and the government reached a landmark deal to ease labor restrictions. However, no follow-up measures have been taken as related bills remain pending in parliament because the opposition claims that the reforms could put irregular workers at a further disadvantage. Amid the political standoff, Park said that the political community should step up efforts to lead reform and commit to improving the livelihood of the people. "I think that the political circle needs to reform itself and regain public confidence," said Park. Meanwhile, the main opposition party defended its leaders' nonparticipation in the meeting, saying that it was not appropriate for them to attend. "We have concluded that it was not right for the opposition leader to visit Cheong Wa Dae, because of the poor agreement made with Japan on the issue of comfort women and the current political standoff over pending bills related to economic revitalization and labor reform," said party spokesman Kim Sung-soo. Presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk said that this was the first time for the opposition leader to skip the annual meeting under the Park administration. Their absence was in stark contrast to Chung's attendance. Park and Chung are mired in a standoff over whether the latter should invoke his authority to take the bills to the floor and put them to a vote. Chung has spurned Park's request that he put the bills related to economic revitalization and labor reform to a vote by exercising his authority as speaker of the house. China neither confirmed nor denied a Japanese media report on Monday that a key official of the Chinese Communist Party in charge of ties with North Korea may visit Pyongyang as early as this month, saying it had "no information" on the report. North Korea and China have been in consultations over a possible visit by Song Tao, head of the Chinese Communist Party's international department, to Pyongyang, according to the report by the Tokyo Shimbun. When asked about the media report, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying replied, "I have no information to offer." Hua didn't elaborate further. Song became the powerful Chinese party's point man on North Korea and other diplomatic affairs in late 2015, succeeding Wang Jiarui. His trip to Pyongyang, if made, would come at a sensitive time in the ties between the two nations. Their relations showed clear signs of improvement recently after years of strain. But speculation has been rekindled over the health of the bilateral relationship since the Moranbong Band, known to be cherished by Kim Jong-un, suddenly canceled its concert in Beijing last month. If Song makes a trip to North Korea anytime soon, it could serve as a litmus test for the strength of the Pyongyang-Beijing ties. The newspaper also said he may discuss the likelihood of Kim Jong-un's trip to Beijing before or after the North's major national congress to be held in May. Song's predecessor Wang Jiarui traveled to the North in November 2012, accompanying Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. (Yonhap) By Young Hoy Kim Kimaro On Oct. 25 last year, all parliamentary seats and the presidency in Tanzania were contested in a general election which takes place every 5 years. These ballots were introduced in 1995 after the country changed from a one party to a multiparty system. Whether under the one party or multiparty system, Tanzania has always achieved peaceful transfers of power; this year, it is for the fifth time. That's quite an achievement for a country in a continent which is rife with presidents who simply won't handover power. Almost one in every three sub-Saharan countries has a President who has ruled for 15 years or more. Three (of Angola, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea) have ruled for more than 30 years! However, there's one fly in Tanzania's ointment. All of its presidents have hailed from a single party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), "Party of the Revolution." No, Tanzania has not had any revolution; touch wood. CCM and Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), its previous incarnation, has ruled the country since independence from British rule was achieved in 1961. Under socialism, the party wielded absolute power. Even after the multiparty system was adopted in 1992, its grip on the polity remained strong. The dividing line between the government and party budget, especially during election times, remains highly porous, giving CCM an unfair advantage over other parties. "All power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely," wrote Lord Acton. Indeed corruption has seeped in over the years until the party and government bureaucracy has become saturated. The degree and the scale of corruption involving key government offices have shocked and dismayed the general public time and again. The Government's failure to take any meaningful measures to curb corruption in high places, and to hold institutions to account, further undermined the CCM government's credibility. CCM realized that the public perception of corruption could be its undoing. The Central Committee of the CCM party took a surprising step. Its nominee for the presidential race has to be one untainted by corruption scandals. Lowassa, a highly popular former Prime Minister who had been the leading contender for CCM's presidential ticket till then, was dropped. Rumors abounded about his ill-gotten goods, and his visible wealth beyond possibilities from the government salaries made him too risky for the party to bank on. The Central Committee chose John Magufuli to replace him a former Minister of Works, Magufuli is less well known to the general public, but untainted. And with his track record of being decisive and results oriented, he could perhaps muster sufficient ammunition to effectively counter the promises of "change" hyped by the leading opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasiana Maendeleo (CHADEMA), the Democracy and Development Party. Lowassa immediately defected to CHADEMA. He even negotiated his way to become its presidential candidate, dealing an unfair blow against Wilbroad Slaa who had, as the party's presidential candidate in the past three elections, steadily gained public support for CHADEMA and put fear into the heart of CCM. Will Lowassa, who defected to CHADEMA solely to realize his presidential ambitions truly embraced the change that CHADEMA stands for or will he taint CHADEMA, turning it into yet another CCM? Could Magufuli's personal commitment to change be strong enough to overcome the resistance within the CCM or will the CCM establishment stifle his efforts? On which party can people bank on for change that would move the country forward? The mismatch between what people perceived of the parties and individual candidates made the choice they must make most perplexing. Magufuli won the election amidst the usual suspicions of CCM rigging the election. He assumed power on Nov. 5. Since then, changes began to hit the headlines. Edward Hoseah, the long standing head of the country's anti-corruption body, Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), was sacked for his failure to take action against high level corruption in Tanzania, and for failing to deal with endemic and rampant corruption at the port and in tax revenue collection bodies. Within days of assuming office, President Magufuli acted to block wanton foreign travel by government officials. As an austerity measure it was made compulsory that all official travel must first be approved by the President's office. (Didn't President Park take similar measures in Korea in the 1960s?) Over the years, increasing number of officials had sought for foreign travel at the slightest pretext to receive generous travel allowances. At times the Tanzanian delegation to an international conference would number 20-30 though only a handful would actually attend. The Presidential decree was to block this uncontrolled leakage to the Government budget. Four senior officials at the PCCB who ignored the decree, thinking it was business as usual and no action would be taken against them, got a rude awakening. They were summarily dismissed. Over the years, for Independence Day and on other national holidays, public celebrations became more and more elaborate, unmindful of escalating costs. President Magufuli cut the budget for the first Independence Day celebrations of his presidency from $100,000 to $7,000 and donated the difference to Muhimbili hospital, where may patients lay on bare floor, for the hospital to purchase additional beds. The country waited anxiously while President Magufuli took time to put together his cabinet. Unlike in the past when the same old faces would resurface in different capacities like in a game of musical chair, his cabinet was made up of fresh, less known faces, drawn from within and outside the political circle. They were not chosen to reward political loyalty but for technical expertise they could bring to the table. More than half of the new cabinet members are reported to have doctoral degrees. These are but a small segment what the people in Tanzania have observed in the first two months of Magufuli's presidency. Even those who voted for Lowassa out of their yearning for change are amazed at the changes President Magufuli keeps pulling out his deck of cards. For the New Year, everyone here wishes such changes to continue unabated. Imagine what transformation 10 years of such changes could bring to this country, so richly endowed with natural resources yet so poor for lack of good leadership? People are enamored at what they see. To them, this is a new start, new hope for a better future for Tanzania. The writer resides on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. She worked for the World Bank for nearly 30 years and her email is youngkimaro@gmail.com. Chung Jong-soo, the third son of self-made businessman Chung Seok-gyu, stands in front of the Sinyang Cultural Foundation based in Seoul National University on Dec. 30, 2015. / Korea Times By Kang Hyun-kyung Multimillionaire Chung Seok-gyu (1929-2015) was one of the country's biggest donors who gave away 44 billion won ($38 million) before he died in May 2015 after a long illness. Contrary to his generous donations, the self-made businessman was stingy with himself and his family. The late Chung Seok-gyu, the founder of Taesung Rubber Chemicals and former chairman of the charity organization Sinyang Cultural Foundation / Courtesy of Sinyang Cultural Foundation His third son Jong-soo said it was a torture for him to dine with his father at a restaurant because he always ordered just one dish and then shared it with his son. "I was embarrassed because I saw the waiter or the waitress with an uncomfortable facial expression whenever my father ordered like that," he said. "It was understandable for them to feel uncomfortable about my father's way because they were also in business to make money. It was natural for them to expect the two of us to order two dishes. So I didn't blame them and rather felt sorry for my father." According to him, his father hated spending even a penny for something unnecessary and his wealth accumulation came at the expense of decent meals. His rule of ordering dishes half the size of the group he went with also applied to his outings with his other family members. While he was alive, his entire family his wife, three sons and their spouses and children met twice a year at restaurant for a family gathering. The self-made man ordered eight dishes if 16 people showed up and had one more if 17 people came. Once their dining was over, he would always ask the waitress to put the leftovers in a box and take it to his workplace or home to eat. "No matter what types of dishes he ordered, he never threw away any leftovers. He even asked to put Chinese noodles that were left in a box. Noodles tend to swell and become bad to eat but he didn't care," Chung Jong-soo said. "None of our family members complained about him because we knew he was not going to change the lifestyle he had stuck with during his life." Born to a poor family in the slum district of the southeastern city of Masan, Chung had a difficult childhood. He had an off-campus job in the chemical industry to finance his tuition and living expenses while attending Seoul National University Chemical Engineering Department. The self-made man founded Taesung Rubber Chemicals in 1967, 16 years after he had related work experience in the chemical industry. His company produced a variety of rubber parts which were used in electronic devices, home appliances and automobiles. At its height, the Gumi City-based company had some 200 employees in the 1970s when demand for rubber parts was at an all-time high following Hyundai Group exporting Korea's first mass-produced car the Pony. Chung's company was small but competitive. He was called the rubber king after he successfully localized reclaimed rubber and other rubber-based products, and was honored by the government as well as the chemical industry many times for his dedication to rubber products. In 2001, he sold his company to other businessmen. He used the profit he earned as seed money to establish the charity organization Sinyang Cultural Foundation at Seoul National University. The foundation has since provided scholarships to over 1,200 students and funds to help scholars perform academic research. Chung served as chairman of the foundation until he died in 2015. In his memoir, the late Chung said he had planned for a long time to give his wealth back to society. "People lead their lives while interacting with others in a society. Sometimes they give a helping hand to others and at other times get help from them. Given such interdependency in our human lives, it is natural that we give back to society," he wrote. In the late 1980s, he first donated 1 billion won to Seoul National University Medical School to help staff there research untreatable diseases. This followed the death of his only daughter of such a disease. Around that time, Chung himself was also diagnosed with larynx cancer and had surgery. He had since donated money to the Youngdeungpo District Office, to help elderly citizens who lived alone without family aid or those who raised their grandchildren without any proper income. The self-made businessman also gave scholarships to college students to help them continue their studies. "My father had two primary groups that he helped the elderly and college students," his third son Jong-soo said. "He sympathized with college students who had difficulty financing their tuition because of his difficult childhood." He said his father's exposure to Western society in the late 1950s and 60s could also have affected his decision to donate part of his wealth to society. From the late 1950s to the early 1960s, the late Chung had three short-term training programs in the United States, Europe and Japan to learn about rubber technology. "My father told me several times about some American universities that have libraries being named after their donors. He said he was impressed by them and expressed his hope to be honored like that," Chung Jong-soo said. "He was influenced by the Western tradition of giving back to society." The "rubber man" was a focused person. From his early childhood, Chung wrote in his memoir that he had two goals to achieve he would become a person who would be of use to society and an unrivaled expert in his area. He lived up to his commitments and donated about half of his wealth to help students, academics and elderly people. Unlike his generous support for those groups, his son said, the late Chung consistently led a stingy lifestyle. Before he died, the businessman was hospitalized for a month. "My father and I kind of had an argument about which hospital room he would stay in. He insisted he be hospitalized in a double bed room and share the space with another patient to save money. But I insisted he be in a single bed room," he said. "I confronted him about his decision at that time because I thought he was old and rich enough to be hospitalized in a decent place." Chung died in 2015 at age 86. When the self-made man announced he would give his wealth back to society, his third son said, none of his sons opposed or complained about their father. "He himself established his business empire with his own efforts and hard work and thus all of thought that he was in a position to decide how he was going to use his money," the son said. By Doug Bandow Christians in America remain free to celebrate Christmas. Not so tens and perhaps hundreds of millions of believers abroad. Murder by such groups as the Islamic State and Boko Haram topped pervasive persecution and discrimination in many nations. U.S. Senator and presidential contender Marco Rubio has denounced the lack of "attention paid to the plight of these Christian communities in peril." He criticized the Obama administration and called for action. Rubio's concern no doubt is genuine. However, the Republican Party's policies have hurt and will continue to hurt Christians around the world. No single action was as injurious to Middle Eastern Christians as the U.S. invasion of Iraq. In this repressive but secular dictatorship, Christians were free to worship and work. However, Washington's intervention triggered a sectarian conflict which drove out hundreds of thousands of Christians, spawned a new al-Qaeda organization which morphed into the Islamic State, and tolerated ruthless Shia rule which encouraged Baathists and Sunnis to support ISIL. Absent George W. Bush's Iraq folly, backed by Rubio and most of his competitors, the Islamic State wouldn't exist. Most of the usual GOP suspects, starting with Rubio, also backed the Obama administration's decision to intervene in the Libyan civil war. This misbegotten policy left two competing governments, multiple armed militias, loose weapons permeating the region, and a vacuum partly filled by the Islamic State, which publicly murdered Egyptian Copts who were working in Libya. Syria is engulfed by a hideous civil war. Bashar al-Assad is another secular dictator, coming from the minority Alawite sect. While he used fear of potential religious persecution for his political benefit, Christians and other religious minorities have good reason to be terrified about Syria apres Assad. After all, many of them fled Iraq, where they've seen the ending of the movie: it isn't pretty. Opposing Assad are unashamed extremists and jihadists and largely nonexistent and ineffective "moderates." Yet Rubio and most of the other Republican contenders want to oust Assad, who possesses the most effective force opposing ISIL. Should Rubio & Co. succeed, the likely fate of Christians is grim. Noted the U.S. State Department: In Syria "ISIL required Christians to convert, flee, pay a special tax, or face execution in territory it controls, and systematically destroyed churches, Shia shrines, and other religious sites." On a recent trip to Jordan and Lebanon I met with several Christian aid workers active in Syria. Most complained about U.S. policy targeting Assad. One said simply: "You Americans don't know what you are doing." Almost as bad is Washington's reflexive support, endorsed by Rubio and the rest of the GOP presidential gaggle, for ruthless Islamic regimes throughout the Middle East and beyond. For instance, despite complaining about foreign blasphemy laws, Rubio declared that the U.S. must "reinforce our alliances." Some of his Republican competitors are even more insistent. Yet Saudi Arabia is essentially a totalitarian state, without a single operating church (or synagogue or temple) for non-Muslims. Noted State, "the government harassed, detained, arrested, and occasionally deported some foreign residents who participated in private non-Muslim religious activities." Coptic Christians remain victims of persecution, discrimination, and violence in Egypt even after the military ouster of the Muslim-dominated government of Mohamed Morsi. The GOP wants a closer embrace of General-President Abdel Fata al-Sisi, who is more repressive than Hosni Mubarak. Finally, Rubio's slavish political commitment to the Israeli government, mimicking every other GOP presidential candidate, hurts Christians there. When I visited, Christians in the West Bank, who live and worship openly, complained far more about the impact of the Israeli occupation than activities of the Palestinian Authority. State acknowledged numerous problems. Israeli settlers made more "price tag" attacks on Palestinian Christian than Muslim sites in the West Bank. "Societal attitudes toward missionary activities and conversion to other religions were generally negative." Israel's visa issuance process "significantly impeded the work of Christian institutions." As Rubio argued, Americans should remember the plight of Middle East Christians. At the same time, Americans should remember that Republican support for promiscuous U.S. military intervention and Islamic dictators did much to bring down disaster upon Middle Eastern Christians. Unfortunately, doing more of the same in the Mideast, as Rubio and most Republicans propose, would only yield the same result. They should stop turning misbegotten neoconservative crusades into America's foreign policy. Doug Bandow is the Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire. Elections to determine fate of three-party system Rep. Kim Han-gil quit the main opposition party Sunday, pledging to start over to win the April 13 general elections and achieve a change of government. His defection is hardly surprising, given that it has been anticipated since Ahn Cheol-soo, the software mogul-turned-politician, left the party in mid-December. Kim, who co-founded the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, the precursor to the Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), nearly two years ago with Ahn, did not disclose his next move. But speculation is rife that he will join a new party to be created by Ahn by early February. More non-mainstream lawmakers of the MPK are expected to leave and join Ahn's new party. This would mean that the largest opposition party will split and that the political community might turn into a three-party structure if the new party succeeds in forming a parliamentary negotiating group. In New Year opinion polls conducted by media outlets, the MPK was neck and neck with Ahn's new party while the ruling Saenuri Party took a clear lead. Ahn's tentative new party, in particular, enjoyed high support in the Seoul metropolitan area and southwestern Honam region, the MPK's traditional home turf. The potential new party's big stride certainly reflects people's strong aversion to the current political establishment, which has been unable to concur on even the redistricting issue amid a tense bipartisan confrontation. There are two aspects in the emergence of a three-party system. On the one hand, there are concerns about the governing party's possible landslide victory in the upcoming elections in the wake of the division of the opposition camp. This must be a woeful situation, considering that there should be a stronger opposition that can hold the ruling camp in check. On the other, the opposition split could serve as an important occasion to translate into reality people's aspirations to see the emergence of new political forces that will practice productive politics. After all, all these problems will be determined by voters. But the three-party system would especially require the opposition parties to embrace audacious changes. The MPK appears eager to cope with its imminent crisis by recruiting fresh outside figures, but it is long past time for the liberal party to have deep soul-searching on how it has virtually split up with fewer than 100 days remaining before the elections. Ahn's new party has yet to take concrete form, but there is no question that it must act responsibly, taking into account people's strong support and expectations. Voters would endorse the party if it refrains from opposition for opposition's shake and suggests reasonable alternatives to national issues. The New Year has dawned, but people seem dispirited amid skepticism that this year's economy will be worse than last year. Politicians are still mired in mudslinging as usual. Changes to all these shameful practices might be possible if voters are wise enough to choose candidates who can break from old-fashioned politics and offer realistic options for our pending issues. By Andrew Salmon So, Shinzo Abe has finally done it. To most of Korea, the Japanese prime minister considered an ultra-nationalistic historical revisionist here is more despised than Kim Jong-un. But, in the dying days of 2015, Abe did exactly what Koreans have long demanded: He apologized and offered governmental compensation to the Korean ex-comfort women. It was unequivocal. Abe's statement of "sincere apologies and remorse" was carried by global media, as was his foreign minister's admission of "the involvement of the military authorities of the day" in comfort stations and his statement, "the government of Japan painfully acknowledges its responsibility." A related agreement reached between Seoul and Tokyo, designed to heal a long-festering sore that has infected bilateral relations across the board, includes official compensation to be paid by Japan to South Korea. The surprise deal the fruit of back-breaking diplomatic labor was applauded by Washington and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Post-apology, the best thing Tokyo can do is swiftly cough up the promised cash. To make payment conditional upon the removal of a comfort woman statue outside the Japanese Embassy which some reports suggest is Tokyo's policy looks (at best) petty. Japanese diplomats know there is far too much public emotion currently invested for that statue to be removed by any Korean politician. Speedy delivery of compensation would also demonstrate good faith after which one might assume that this thorny problem would finally be overcome. Alas, some ex-comfort women and the vocal NGOs supporting them are vehemently denouncing the deal and not for the first time. Tokyo made occupation-era reparations in 1965 the price of diplomatic normalization by paying $800 million in grants and soft loans to Seoul which used them to kick-start the "economic miracle" rather than to compensate victims. Even so: With hindsight, I suspect most Koreans would consider that money well spent. When the comfort women issue rose to prominence in the early 1990s, it was clear that the 1965 agreement had not covered them; another mechanism was required. So Tokyo having already made official governmental reparations collected private money and established the Asian Women's Fund to compensate the ex-comfort women. However, when seven Korean ex-comfort women accepted this money which was accompanied by a letter of apology from the Japanese prime minister they were harshly criticized by civic groups and media. Subsequently, they were denied Korean government handouts. This undermined Tokyo's effort by effectively preventing other ex-comfort women in Korea from accepting the funds. (At least in public; one expert claims that 60 additional Korean ex-comfort women did take the compensation and apology, but quietly.) The civic groups' grounds for opposition were that the money did not come from Tokyo's "official" purse albeit this argument overlooked the fact that the Japanese government administered the fund, and disingenuously ignored the personally signed letters of apology to the victims from the prime minister. In this context, arch-conservative Abe's apology (not the first delivered by a senior Japanese official) and the offer of official compensation looked tailor-made to dissolve the problems that bedeviled the Asian Women's Fund. In fact, it has done neither. While Seoul desperately tries to sell the deal to the public and the media sits on the fence, the Opposition is (inevitably) opposed. More seriously, NGOs and some ex-comfort women are furious, saying they were not consulted and that Abe's apology does not constitute "legal responsibility." This raises an uncomfortable question. After so many apologies from so many Tokyo officials, and after differing formats of compensation, can these aggrieved parties ever be satisfied? Perhaps not. But if they refuse to accept anything less than their own extensive demands which cover certain issues over which even expert historians hold different opinions then, as non-governmental actors, the NGOs and ex-comfort women have every right to continue protests; Korea is a democracy. But they need to consider the risk that their efforts to sabotage this deal could cost them support in the court of international public opinion. Meanwhile, even if the Seoul-Tokyo agreement ends inter-governmental disputes on the issue, it does not prevent historians and civic society from continued research, discussion and debate. Indeed, in Seoul, a Korean professor is facing trial for defaming comfort women in her book. This trial will place before the public certain under-reported (and possibly suppressed) facts, and may even add nuance to the simplified but highly emotive conventional wisdom that currently defines the issue. Regardless, this was a deal reached between two governments. (Hence, does not cover comfort women in Japan, China, North Korea or Southeast Asia). The time has now come for Seoul and Tokyo to unshackle policy from debates better left to historians, and move forward on a broad range of political, strategic and economic issues. Andrew Salmon is a Seoul-based reporter and author. Reach him at andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk. Lead economist Philip O'Keefe for the World Bank's social protection and labor global practice, left, and World Bank chief economist Sudhir Shetty for the East Asia Pacific region, pose for a photo after an interview with The Korea Times at Plaza Hotel in Seoul last month. / Korea Times photo by Kim Jae-won By Kim Jae-won A World Bank (WB) economist said that Korea needs to adopt an innovative way to credit voluntary work called "time banks" to boost the number of volunteers here helping senior citizens deal with their poverty and loneliness. Philip O'Keefe, a lead economist in the social protection labor global practice at the WB, said an inter-generational cooperation system would be effective in Korea, which has one of the worst poverty and suicide rates for senior citizens among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members. "When you are a younger-old person, you give your time to look after an older person. Essentially, you get credit for the number of hours you spend volunteering. When you become an older person, you get the same number of hours that you put in when you were a younger-old person," said O'Keefe in a recent interview with The Korea Times in a Seoul hotel. He visited Korea as part of his Asian trip to introduce the bank's report titled "Live Long and Prosper: Aging in East Asia and the Pacific Region." O'Keefe works in East Asia and the Pacific region primarily. Previously, he was the lead human development economist for the region. Prior to joining the bank in 1993, he was a lecturer at the University of Warwick in the U.K. He holds degrees from the University of Sydney, the London School of Economics and Political Science and Oxford University. The Australian scholar said some countries such as China and Britain are benefiting from the system, creating an innovative way to solve problems from their aging societies. The economist pointed out that Korea is ringing the alarm bells in poverty and suicide from older people. According to the OECD, 49 percent of Korean senior citizens suffered from poverty in 2014, more than three times the average of the organization which stood at 13 percent. The nation's suicide rate among older people is an even more critical situation. According to a 2014 report from the World Health Organization, 116.2 people per every 100,000 senior citizens age 70 or older kill themselves, far higher than other countries which posted between 5.8 and 42.3. O'Keefe said that Korea needs to set up more aggressive pension policies to prepare for an aging society as the country is entering a time in which people age 65 and older represent more than 14 percent of the whole population. He said that the current level of 9 percent of contributions for the state pension was pretty low, compared to other advanced countries. "The wider group of East Asian and Pacific countries with mature but low-coverage mandated contributory systems should also consider shifting the balance of their pension system financing toward general revenue-financed redistribution and modest benefit levels, but in ways that do not compromise incentives to participate in the contributory scheme," according to the WB report. Sudhir Shetty, chief economist for the East Asia and Pacific region at the bank, said that Asia's fourth-largest economy should draw more females into the workplace by providing more effective childcare systems. He praised Korea's well-educated female workforce and forecast that they will contribute to the nation's economy by becoming innovators. Kwon Soon-han By Chung Hyun-chae Kwon Soon-han, chairman of Soyee Product Inc., a medical devices producer, has been re-elected to a third term as president of the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) Alumni Association. The association said Monday that it re-elected Kwon as its 30th president by a unanimous vote during its general meeting at the Hotel President in downtown Seoul, Dec 28. Kwon began his third consecutive term Monday. "I will have an alumni hall completed within my term, which is our long-cherished ambition," he said. "I also plan to launch a worldwide alumni association for HUFS." A groundbreaking ceremony for the alumni hall will take place in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, in March. The association expects that it will take one-and-a-half years to complete the construction of the building. Kwon majored in Spanish and graduated from HUFS in 1970. He then received a master's degree in international trade from Sungkyunkwan University in 1974. Kwon also finished the Global Leadership Program at Seoul National University and the Information and Communication Program at the Graduate School of Computer Science and Technology, Korea University, in 2002. He served as the 16th president of the Korea Importers Association from 2004 to 2007 and as vice chairman of the Korea International Trade Association from 2006 to 2012. By Yoon Sung-won Jang Dong-hyun SK Telecom CEO SK Telecom Chief Executive Officer Jang Dong-hyun highlighted the importance of a swift business transformation in order to achieve a turnaround. The CEO said that SK Telecom, the nation's largest mobile carrier, will strengthen its market leadership while seeking for a turnaround through new growth engines and boosted profitability in these sectors. "Firm corporate culture based on mutual trust is needed to overcome raging waves in the age of limitless competition," stated Jang in his New Year's address. "In particular, we need to change faster than customers and markets in order to be recognized by them." As sales results of the nation's all three telecom operators SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus are estimated to decrease, the mobile carrier is likely to continue seeking new growth engines in the platform operation sector to compensate the profitability in the telecom sector. The CEO said that the company will push for expanding its business into the business-to-business sector, smart home and car and personalized services while adopting diverse new services in lifestyle and the Internet of Things. He also called for new partnerships in connected car, financial technology and new media sectors. The telecom company is pushing ahead with an aggressive business restructure starting the latter half of last year. It is working to acquire CJ HelloVision, the nation's largest cable television operator and the top budget mobile service provider, and reorganized business portfolio of its mobile service affiliate SK Planet. "We will provide best quality service to customers by discovering their needs earlier than others not only in the telecom business but also the next-generation platform sector," said Jang. Samra Kesinovic, left, and Sabina Selimovic, right/ Screen capture from Twitter A teenage Austrian girl, who had been an ISIS sex slave, was beaten to death, the British Daily mail reports. Samra Kesinovic, 17, and her friend Sabina Selimovic, 15, left Austria and travelled, via Turkey, to Syria to join ISIS in April 2014. They reportedly left a note for their families which read: "Don't look for us. We will serve Allah and we will die for him." Shortly after arriving in Syria, Slimovic sent a French magazine SMS messages, saying she was enjoying life in Syria and felt free to practice her religion. The teenagers became the group's "poster girls." Images of them carrying AK-47s while surrounded by armed men were uploaded on ISIS websites. Actress Go Ara channeled old Hollywood glamor in the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar. According to the magazine, the pictorial was an homage to famous British actress Audrey Hepburn. Specifically, the films Sabrina (1954) and Funny Face (1957) inspired the "tomboy" and "intense woman" wardrobe themes. Go was compared to the actress not only because of her beauty, but her deep passion for humanitarian work. The star's last ambassador trip was to Manila, Philippines to bring awareness to a landfill spot that was affecting the health of local citizens. Go's wardrobe included a Lucky Chouette turtleneck, Dior cashmere sweaters and Maison Margiela jewelry, to name a few items. Among the standout combinations there was a Sacai ensemble from the Fall RTW 2016 collection. The tweed jacket and skirt set can be seen below on the runway. During the interview, Go was asked about her upcoming film The Magician. When asked if it was more dramatic than the novel that inspired it, she responded, "The quiet strength of my character [a Joseon Dynasty princess] stays the same, but she has more serenity. I am confident the movie will be more interesting." In other fashion news, Go Ara recently posed for three separate covers of Ceci China's January issue. --- About the Author: Elsa is the founder, head writer, and editor of KPopBreak.com. In her website, she covers K-pop celebrity style, Korean actress beauty trends, red carpet appearances and Seoul Fashion Week news. The final singers of upcoming 12-member girl group Cosmic Girls have been unveiled. On Dec. 31, Starship Entertainment uploaded photos and descriptions of the three girls on their official social media accounts. The three members, Da Won, Luda, and Mei Qi, are part of the "Natural" subunit, the fourth and final sub-unit of the group. Two of the members, Dawon and Luda, are Korean. The other member of the subunit, Mei Qi, is Chinese. With the three members of the final subunit chosen, Cosmic Girls has a total of nine Korean members and three Chinese members. The group is expected to soon begin final preparations for their debut in early 2016. Members of the group made their first music video appearance in the UNIQ's "Happy New Year" video, made for the Chinese market. This week brought the end of 2015 and a new start for a major K-pop couple. JYJ's Xia Junsu and EXID's Hani Reported To Be Dating On Jan. 1, Korean media outlet Dispatch revealed a new popular idol couple. Xia Junsu, of JYJ and TVXQ fame, and trending-idol EXID's Hani have been dating for six months, according to Dispatch. The two were photographed together on several occasions. Since the report, the relationship has been collaborated by Junsu and Hani's representatives. The pair allegedly began a relationship as friends and Junsu reportedly asked Hani to begin dating. There are concerns regarding the pair's future, since Junsu will have to go serve in the Korean military in the near future. K-Pop Year End Award Shows Countless popular K-pop idol groups appeared at year-end broadcasts on South Korea's biggest channels. The year end festivals put on by KBS, MBC, and SBS, were filled with performances of hit songs and collaborative tracks, as well as covers by idols of some of K-pop's most popular hits of yesteryear. Along with music shows, K-pop idols also took in a variety of awards at year-end television award show ceremonies. Injuries Affect BTS' Schedules After months of ongoing promotions, K-pop idol group BTS appears unable to sustain itself for much longer. At least three members of the group were seriously injured this week, resulting in two cancelled concerts in Japan and a six-member performance at at least one year-end music festival. The afflicted members of BTS- V, Suga, and Rap Monster- have all received medical testing and none are seriously injured or ill. --- EXO's D.O continues to make strides on screen in 2016. D.O (Do Kyung Soo) is set to appear as one of the leads in the upcoming movie Pure Love. During the press conference on Monday, Jan. 4, the idol-actor discussed the challenges of his latest role and gave credit to those working around him for his ability to thrive in front of the camera. "This time was my first time acting as the protagonist, in actuality, I was very nervous and I felt quite burdened," said D.O., as reported by Soompi. "But, the people next to me, my friends, elders, the director, and staff really helped me a lot. Because [they] worked so hard on the filming [of the movie], I wanted to finish well [and do a good job]." D.O. stars in the Pure Love alongside actress Kim So Hyun. The movie centers around the first loves of five friends as revealed by a letter received by a live radio program 23 years later. D.O. made his critically acclaimed acting debut in the film Cart, which was released in November 2014. Aside from the upcoming film release, D.O is set to embark on a North American tour with his band EXO. They will stop at five cities - Dallas, Vancouver, LA, Chicago, and New York - starting on Feb. 10. Pure Love will be released in February 2016. The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more Gene Luen Yang has been named the next National Ambassador for Young Peoples Literature by the Library of Congress. Yang is the first writer who works primarily in graphic novels to be named ambassador. Im thrilled and humbled to be appointed National Ambassador for Young Peoples Literature. Reading breaks down the walls that divide us, Yang said in a statement. Yang has made reading without walls the theme of his ambassadorship. Yang will be sworn in for a one-year term Thursday. By reading, we get to know people outside of our own communities. We gain knowledge others dont expect us to have, Yang continued. We discover new and surprising passions. Reading is critical to our growth, both as individuals and as a society. Advertisement Yang won the 2007 Printz Award for American Born Chinese and the L.A. Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature in 2014 for Boxers & Saints, a graphic novel about the Boxer Rebellion. In fall 2015, he launched the Secret Coders graphic novel series with Mike Holmes. The books, which will see their second installment this year, combines mystery and computer programming for middle-graders -- Yangs day job is teaching programming to high school students. The National Ambassador For Young Peoples Literature program was launched in 2008 by the Library of Congress Center for the Book with the Childrens Book Council and the organization Every Child a Reader. In his statement, Yang said: The Childrens Book Council, Every Child a Reader, and Library of Congress all empower people by getting them to read. Im honored to take up that mission myself and to carry on the amazing work of the ambassadors before me. The current amabssador, Kate DiCamillo, will be at the Thursday ceremony in Washington. Her term followed Walter Dean Myers, Kathering Pateson and Jon Scieszka. Book news and more; Im @paperhaus on Twitter Well, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin certainly appear to have enjoyed their vacation and each other's company in Anguilla. The "Sorry" singer, 21, on Sunday posted a blurry photo of himself and the 19-year-old model kissing, his arm wrapped around her waist as they hang on to, well, something. No caption, no context, no nothing. Just kissing. Some people are taking it as confirmation that the two are a couple, but there's really no way to know they've been friends for years now, and kisses are hardly in short supply around the turn of the new year. A photo posted by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on Jan 3, 2016 at 4:12pm PST "I've known him since I was so young since I was like 13 and we've just been good friends over the years," Baldwin (who is actor Stephen Baldwin's daughter) told E! News a little more than a year ago, when secret-dating rumors were also buzzing. "We have just stayed close and there's nothing more to it than that." At any rate, the two are definitely comfortable hanging around, and hanging on to, one another, as seen in a few other pictures from what was a family vacation. Make sure you go all the way down for the video of a tremendously romantic wet willy. A photo posted by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on Jan 3, 2016 at 4:12pm PST New Years A photo posted by Hailey Baldwin (@haileybaldwin) on Jan 1, 2016 at 3:08am PST A photo posted by Hailey Baldwin (@haileybaldwin) on Dec 29, 2015 at 11:50am PST She thought we were taking a photo A video posted by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on Dec 29, 2015 at 11:28am PST Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs If you love Filipino food, youve had more options lately in Los Angeles. Joining Rice Bar, the tiny seven-seat restaurant that opened downtown last summer, and Belly & Snout in Koreatown, comes Oi Asian Fusion. Oi Asian Fusion is a fast-casual restaurant with the bulk of its menu made up of rice bowls. An adobo bowl piled with braised pork belly and the chicken longanisa bowl are two examples of Pinoy plates that distinguish Oi from just any rice bowl eatery. (Oi is an exclamation in Tagalog that means yo!) For vegetarians, theres a Korean-style bibimbap bowl. If this seems very Chego-inspired, co-owner and chef Eric de la Cruz readily cites Roy Choi as a role model. However, even with all the pan-Asian flavors, de la Cruz, who is Filipino, gives the food of his heritage an emphatic nod. Ois first location was a small spot in Reseda, which it quickly outgrew because of the sudden demand. The Reseda restaurant was closed and reopened in a larger Canoga Park shopping center. For the most part, Oi is a San Fernando Valley well-kept secret, with very little press coverage but a huge fan base. Advertisement Now Oi has a Hollywood shop that has been open for almost three months in a strip mall on Hollywood Boulevard near Vermont Avenue. The area is surrounded by major hospitals, which has turned out to be great for business. Lots of nurses who are Filipino are customers, said De la Cruz. The most Filipino item on Ois menu, according to De la Cruz, is tapsilog, a marinated beef dish served with fried garlic rice and fried egg. But, you know what? Its the most popular item with Caucasians, he says. De la Cruz admits that many people are confused about the concept. We have no pictures. People walk by. They ask what we make. I educate them. Some are brave enough to try and are happy they did. The new Hollywood Oi location is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; the Canoga Park restaurant is open daily with the same hours. Oi Asian Fusion, 4734 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 458-1945; 7242 Canoga Ave., Canoga Park, (818) 776-0282, oiasianfusion.com. ALSO: What were eating: Almost pickles from Studio City farmers market 26 recipes under 500 calories. And were talking cupcakes, not salad The U.S. Army wants volunteers to eat much-maligned meal packets for 3 weeks Good morning. It is Monday, Jan. 4. These newborns will have a pretty cool story to tell for the rest of their lives. A San Diego girl was born at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2015, and her twin brother was born two minutes later on Jan. 1, 2016. Here's what else is happening in the Golden State: TOP STORIES Open for business Maybe Californias much-maligned business climate isnt so bad. A new study that looked at more than 30 years' worth of data found California created new businesses at one of the fastest rates in the nation. Those new companies also made it a leader in job creation. It means that being 'business friendly' is not the be-all and end-all of economic development, said Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, who helped prepare the study. Los Angeles Times Leading LAUSD As school board members prepare to select the next leader of the L.A. Unified School District, signs show theyre more likely to pick someone like Ramon C. Cortines than his predecessor, John Deasy. While Deasy was seen as aggressive, Cortines has been calm and productive, district officials say. Cortines appears to have been a steadying force; that is probably the biggest contribution, said attorney George Kieffer, a University of California regent and chair of Los Angeles Civic Alliance. Los Angeles Times Gas leak It will take months to repair the gas leak near Porter Ranch. The reason can be found deep in the Santa Susana Mountains. Few man-made structures could hold as much gas as this natural repository, which is one of the largest in the country, measuring nearly one cubic mile at a depth of a mile and a half. Los Angeles Times DROUGHT AND CLIMATE Rain on the way: The Los Angeles area could be in for a wet week. The strongest storm is expected to hit Tuesday, bringing with it 1 to 2 inches of rain in the foothills. Mountain areas could see as much as 2 feet of snow. The storms are among some of the first effects of El Nino, a series of weather conditions caused by warming of the equatorial waters of the Pacific, weakening rains in South Asia and bringing heavier rains to California. The storms peak in January, February and March. Los Angeles Times Roadside hazards: Those abandoned mattresses, couches and other pieces of furniture that litter Los Angeles roadways may soon be real safety hazards. The items can block catch basins, which means rains from El Nino will have nowhere to go but city streets, cars and nearby homes. In preparation, sanitation crews have cleared out 40,000 basins. El Nino is going to expose the deteriorated state of the infrastructure, said Mike Eveloff, a board member with Fix the City. Los Angeles Times L.A. AT LARGE No help: In one Venice apartment building, tenants are regretting asking the city for help with short-term rentals on the property. Instead of simply putting an end to the practice of renting nightly to tourists, housing inspectors decided that some of the apartment units were illegal, prompting the eviction of longtime tenants. Now when people call me and ask, 'Should I report this to the city?' I hesitate. I have to wonder how much help they're going to get, said one attorney representing the residents. Los Angeles Times Clean up on 101: Heres a list of all the things that spilled onto Southern Californias freeways in 2015. Curbed LA SMC leader: A former president of Santa Monica College has died at age 82. Richard Moore oversaw the campus from 1974 to 1994. During that time, he grew enrollment and made Santa Monica College the No. 1 transfer school to the University of California. Los Angeles Times End of the line: A photograph from 1956 shows the end of the Red Car line: trolleys stacked on top of one another at a junkyard on Terminal Island. Not all of the cars met that fate. Some were shipped to Buenos Aires for the budding rail lines there. Los Angeles Times Planning ahead: The city of Los Angeles has community plans that act as road maps for development in specific neighborhoods. But most are decades out of date. Since the focus on updating the community plans right away hasnt produced new community plans, why not try another approach and update the other citywide plans first? Zocalo Public Square POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Back to work: California lawmakers will have plenty of meaty issues on their plates as they return to work. They include a $59-billion backlog in road repairs and a $1-billion funding gap in healthcare. Ive got a feeling that this being an election year, lawmakers wont want to ruffle any feathers because this electorate is so volatile, even in California, said Patrick Dorinson, a political blogger and former deputy secretary for Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Los Angeles Times Lump sums: In the Sacramento area, 13 government employees closed out 2014 with a lump sum payment of more than $100,000, according to a news analysis. In most cases, that money represented sick time and vacation. The payments provide a big boost to an employees final-year salary and also increase their retirement benefits. Sacramento Bee GOP in OC: The number of registered Republicans in Orange County is on the decline, but there remains an ultra-conservative core whose activism dates back decades. Being under attack, being a smaller piece of the pie breeds frustration, and they could feel even more strongly. As Republican registration chips away, its hard to say what will happen, said Peter Ditto, a UC Irvine social psychologist who studies political behavior. Orange County Register CRIME AND COURTS Memorial site: One month after the shooting rampage at the Inland Regional Center, mourners continue to pay their respects at Waterman Avenue and Orange Show Road. I see new things flowers, candles and stuffed animals every time I come that encourages my faith in this country, said a 90-year-old man who has visited the site four times. San Bernardino Sun Murder-suicide: A 71-year-old man has been identified as the gunman in a murder-suicide at an Ontario cemetery. Karapet Karajan is accused of killing Misak Minasyan, 60, and Hripsime Minasyan, 59, before taking his own life. Karajan was at the cemetery the day before the fifth anniversary of his wifes death, according to police. Orange County Register Crime run: Police are looking for a man believed to be responsible for a string of violent crimes across the Southland. Artyom Gasparyan, 32, is accused of robbery, carjacking and attempted murder in Los Angeles, Burbank, West Hollywood and Carson. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE Unwanted guests: An Oakland couple is not starting off the year on the right note. They thought they were renting out their apartment via Airbnb to an older man for New Years Eve, but it turned out it was an 18-year-old who invited hundreds of other teenagers over for a party. The couple is taking bids from contractors to fix damage to their floors, fence, walls and upholstery. SF Gate Culture clash: Will Little Tokyo be able to keep its identity as downtown Los Angeles is built up around it? DTLA Rising Not Free Willy: What does the future hold for SeaWorlds whales? Animal rights groups dont want them to perform for crowds in captivity, but the whales cant just be released into the wild. "They are not good candidates for release to the wild, either because they were born in captivity or because they have been in captivity for a very long time," said Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Riverside will be cloudy and rainy at 63 degrees. San Diego will start the day with rain and reach a high of 63 degrees. Los Angeles will be rainy and 61. In San Francisco, there will be clouds and rain with a high of 56 degrees. AND FINALLY This weeks birthdays for notable Californians: Rep. Loretta Sanchez (Jan. 7, 1960), actor Nicolas Cage (Jan. 7, 1964) and Rep. Lois Capps (Jan. 10, 1938). Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad. Two types of nonnative mosquitoes that can transmit potentially fatal diseases have spread throughout California, and their populations could explode come spring. The mosquitoes expansion of territory was largely attributed to abnormally warm weather in the summer and fall. It was quicker and more widespread than any of us could have anticipated, said Chris Conlan, an ecologist with the San Diego County Vector Control Program. Advertisement The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) can carry diseases linked to birth defects, painful illness and tens of thousands of deaths around the world each year. The mosquitoes can be identified by their black-and-white striped bodies and aggressive behavior toward people, often following them indoors. These pests are smaller than average mosquitoes and distinguish themselves as daytime feeders. Theyre tough to eradicate, needing as little as a thimble of water to reproduce. After months of tracking the growing population of yellow fever mosquitoes, local vector-control officials found the Asian tiger mosquito in September. Both species of the insect were first found near San Diegos shipyards, although its unclear how they first came into the county. In many cases, when the technicians go out ... to respond to complaints [about the mosquitoes], theyre even swatting them out of their face, Conlan said. In a couple of places, it has reached very troubling numbers San Ysidro and some areas around Barrio Logan to Logan Heights. Its pretty widespread down there. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> So far, California has seen no locally acquired cases of disease spread by these mosquitoes, which include dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya. Disease spreads when infected travelers come to the state and are bitten by mosquitoes. Last year, there were 99 cases of dengue and 178 cases of chikungunya reported in travelers returning to California. There were no reported cases of yellow fever. West Nile virus remains a more immediate threat among mosquito-related illnesses, but that could change, said Marco Metzger, senior public health biologist in the vector-borne-disease section at the California Department of Public Health. What were dealing with is an emerging concern, he said. If these [mosquitoes] become widely successful in California, we have the potential for disease transmission. We dont have any mosquitoes that live so closely associated with humans. These mosquitoes are notorious in so many parts of the world because they live with us. Public health officials are urging residents who see these invasive pests on their properties to take action before temperatures heat up. Mosquito season usually starts in March and peaks between August and November. With a limited flight distance, the mosquitoes likely breed near where theyre spotted. The saucers of potted plants, plastic toys that fill with water and clogged rain gutters offer fertile breeding opportunities. The mosquitoes eggs can survive without water for months, requiring infested sites to be scrubbed down thoroughly. For these guys, more so than ever, we really need the publics help in eliminating the standing water sources to make sure they dont become more of a problem, Conlan said. First found in California in 2013, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus have roughly tripled in number around the state during the last several seasons. They have been found in 82 cities and communities, including Escondido, Los Angeles, Fresno and parts of the Bay Area. But beyond being a growing public nuisance, its unclear how much of a threat these mosquitoes present. East Coast and Midwest cities have long tolerated the pests without serious incident. Although Mexico and the Caribbean have suffered the effects of dengue and chikungunya for some time, less than a dozen people in the contiguous United States, all in Florida, have ever become sick from being bitten by a mosquito carrying either disease. Yellow fever has been largely confined to tropical areas of South America and Africa. A vaccine for travelers has significantly limited transmission of the disease into Western countries. Meanwhile, a virus linked to the mosquitoes known as Zika has spread throughout Brazil, causing thousands of cases of brain damage in babies born with abnormally small heads. But the United State has never had a recorded case of Zika. Still, public health officials warn that its better to be vigilant about prevention. The concern is that if and when these mosquitoes become well-established in the state and abundant in our neighborhoods, then the risk of transmission increases, Metzger said. joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com Joshua Emerson Smith writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. ALSO First in series of storms forecast for Southland expected to hit overnight Dominos Pizza employee arrested in stabbing of customer angered by delivery delay California lawmakers return to the Capitol to tackle leftover business Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Drivere doesnt expect to run around the park with his children. It would be enough to walk to the sink for water. But his dream may come true now that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to pay for robotic legs for qualified patients. The ReWalk exoskeleton device, invented by an Israeli quadriplegic, could be offered to San Diego veterans as early as this spring, officials said. Advertisement It would give veterans paralyzed from the chest down the ability to stand, walk upright and important in an immeasurable way greet people eye-to-eye. It couldnt come soon enough for Drivere, 37, a former Camp Pendleton Marine injured in a motorcycle crash in July 2014. His name is on a waiting list that began forming six months ago at the San Diego VA hospital, one of 25 spinal cord care units in the VA network. The longer I wait, the longer I dont put my body weight on my extremities, said Drivere, who first saw the exoskeleton early last year at an expo. My bone density gets weaker, my circulation is slower. At least 42,000 American military veterans suffer from a spinal cord injury or disease. Just a fraction of those maybe a few hundred, said an official with the Paralyzed Veterans of America will initially meet the criteria to be good candidates for the device. San Diego County is already home to one. Marine Capt. Derek Herrera was paralyzed by a snipers bullet in Afghanistan in 2012. But at his November 2014 Bronze Star ceremony at Camp Pendleton, the special operations team leader walked forward to accept his award. Herrera, now medically retired at age 31, was an early user of the ReWalk exoskeleton. The biggest thing thats a game-changer for me, it made me hopeful for the future. It changed my mind-set, said Herrera, who has launched his own company, Spinal Singularity, to develop medical devices for paraplegics. The device hasnt replaced his wheelchair. Herrera uses his ReWalk for only a few hours a week to put his weight on his legs, which helps keep his bones healthy and assists digestion and other functions. Emotionally, though, its important. I went from being a 6-foot-2 special operations officer in the Marine Corps, having a very physical identity, to being in a wheelchair where people dont even think of me as a physical being, Herrera said. Being able to walk around, talk to people, look people in the eye, its pretty awesome. Its pretty powerful. Donations paid the $70,000 tab for his ReWalk back in 2013. The Marsoc Foundation, a charity focused on the Marine special operations troops, led a fundraising campaign in Coronado. The going price for a ReWalk device is $77,000 well beyond the means of the average disabled veteran, without assistance from the VA. ReWalks chief executive says the VA will make its money back over two to three years per patient through reduced costs for medicine and hospital visits. Paralyzed veterans commonly require pain medication and treatment for pressure sores caused by sitting in wheelchairs day after day. CEO Larry Jasinski said his company, based in Israel and Massachusetts, has distributed 200 of the exoskeleton devices worldwide, including 36 in the United States since the Food and Drug Administration approved the equipment for personal use in mid-2014. The VAs decision opens the door to more users, and ReWalk hopes the devices will eventually help stroke victims and people with multiple sclerosis and other disorders. Eventually you might see this on thousands of people, Jasinski said. It wont help everyone in a wheelchair. Sherman Gillums, deputy executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America, said the best candidates are only five years into paralysis. In terms of those injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, thats perhaps 200 to 400 veterans, said Gillums, who was a Camp Pendleton Marine when he was paralyzed during training in 2002. Good candidates are also between 5 feet 2 and 6 feet 2 and weigh less than 220 pounds. Good upper-body strength and movement are also required, among other criteria. jen.steele@sduniontribune.com Steele writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. On his first day back as the head of the nations second-largest school system, Ramon C. Cortines paid an unlikely visit to the headquarters of United Teachers Los Angeles. The union had a tense relationship with former Supt. John Deasy, and was pushing toward a possible strike over stalled contract talks. Cortines met union officials on their turf: He wanted to show that there would be no barriers between him and teachers. With that step, Cortines set himself apart from his predecessor. It was one of many moves that Cortines made during his 14 months at the helm of the L.A. Unified School District that set the standard for the next superintendent. Advertisement The Board of Education is now seeking a leader who will follow his model. Cortines, 83, came out of retirement in October 2014 to steady the school system after Deasys tumultuous tenure. He undid some of Deasys most controversial policies, including canceling a $1.3-billion technology plan that originally had sought to provide every student with an iPad. He also spent millions to repair a malfunctioning online records system that created errors in transcripts and left many high school students stuck in auditoriums without classes or placed them in the wrong ones. And he won labor peace with a double-digit pay raise and by giving the union some say in teacher discipline practices. Though some civic leaders still favor someone with Deasys aggressive agenda for change, district officials described Cortines leadership as both calming and productive, particularly on matters that affected students. This has nothing to do with being aggressive, but with whether the next superintendent pursues an agenda unilaterally, said school board President Steve Zimmer. The next superintendent will need to collaborate with our community, our parents, our Board of Education and our labor partners. None of the candidates is strongly associated with a particular ideological agenda for reshaping education. Some board members dont want that sort of leader; others simply realize that they wont get the full board to agree on a reform agenda to follow. No finalists names have been released, but some candidates who have been under serious consideration include San Francisco Supt. Richard Carranza and Miami Supt. Alberto Carvalho. Both have worked well with their local school boards. St. Louis Supt. Kelvin Adams has worked collaboratively with unions and also a local charter school group. Follow the Times education initiative to inform parents, educators and students across California >> In L.A. Unified, Chief Deputy Supt. Michelle King worked directly for Cortines and has decades of experience within the district, replicating Cortines familiarity with the system. And Fremont Unified Supt. Jim Morris preceded King in a similar post under Cortines and other L.A. district leaders before he left. King is serving as acting superintendent until a choice is made. The board will meet behind closed doors Tuesday to continue its deliberations. Board members, some of whom had been marginalized under Deasy, are seeking a more inclusive leader. Cortines proved that path was effective, they said. In addition, Cortines strategy was to focus on making progress school by school and on selecting and nurturing leaders who would act independently. It was a style that differed sharply from that of Deasy, who sought sweeping changes to district policies and even education law, including an effort to limit teacher job protections through litigation. Deasy successfully cultivated a leading national position among like-minded reformers. Reform is not rhetoric, Cortines said in a recent interview. And it is not passion. It is getting dirt under your fingernails. Let me tell you, this district has to be managed. It is a $12-billion business. Among Cortines first acts was restoring a relationship with the teachers union. He succeeded in negotiating a new contract that called for a 10% raise over two years. The union had fought with Deasy over the size of the raise and other issues. Reform is not rhetoric. And it is not passion. It is getting dirt under your fingernails. former L.A. Unified Supt. Ramon C. Cortines Cortines said he understood that teachers were frustrated, that morale was low, said union President Alex Caputo-Pearl. And he knew that anger and frustration was either going to come out in a strike or in an agreement that made substantial progress in areas that people were concerned about. And the veteran administrator acknowledged that efforts to end suspensions a Deasy centerpiece had caused serious problems at some campuses, especially because schools lacked the resources needed to make the new approach effective. It helped that those he worked with, inside and outside the system, believed that Cortines did not have a personal agenda. He balanced the budget, for example, by resisting proposals to increase spending for such programs as adult education, even while acknowledging their value. He settled a dispute over limited space at Westside campuses among those supporting charter schools, adult education and special academic programs. Ray is a superior manager, said board member Monica Ratliff. Hes decisive. Hes transparent. Hes communicative. He treated every member of our community with respect. It was like a breath of fresh air. But the board needs to look beyond searching for a duplicate of Cortines, some members said. Board member Ref Rodriguez praised Cortines, but said that he may care too much about L.A. Unified as an institution. I came to realize how devoted to the district he is, how much he believes in and is protective of it, Rodriguez said. But that is a double-edged sword. Personally, I feel we have to reimagine what our school systems look like. Cortines had previously led L.A. Unified twice for six months in 2000 and for 2 1/2 years starting in 2008, until Deasy took over in April 2011. He also headed school districts in Pasadena (twice), San Jose, San Francisco and New York. And he served as a senior official in the federal education department and as a Los Angeles deputy mayor. Cortines never expected to have a third shot at running L.A. Unified. When he stepped aside in 2011, it was after relations had frayed with Deasy, who was his deputy and heir apparent. Influential leaders in the civic and philanthropic community, including then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, regarded Cortines as too traditional, unwilling to push as fast as they wanted for changes in the school system. They couldnt wait for Deasy to take over, and Cortines got the message. Then, in 2012, a year after his retirement, the school district disclosed a sexual harassment allegation against Cortines from 2010. L.A. Unified agreed to a $275,000 settlement with the districts real estate manager, Scot Graham, but the pact later fell apart. A judge dismissed Grahams subsequent lawsuit, saying he had not filed it in time. Cortines acknowledged a one-time sexual liaison but said the encounter was consensual. Some observers say the time is right for Cortines departure. They say the district has fallen into a holding pattern in such crucial areas as instruction. Cortines only recently hired a deputy superintendent to oversee academics, and his plan to give schools more control over budgets and teaching methods may or may not find favor with the next leader. Cortines appears to have been a steadying force, that is probably the biggest contribution, said attorney George Kieffer, a University of California regent and chairman of the Los Angeles Civic Alliance, which had supported Deasy. But when you are a leader who has a set term, where youre going to be leaving, there are going to be all sorts of limitations on what you can do, whether its reforming or setting an agenda for the long term. Board members said they have no regrets over bringing back Cortines, calling him an experienced, selfless and surprisingly tireless unifying force. Now they are looking ahead. I think Ray laid the groundwork, said board member Richard Vladovic. Theres a lot of work to be done and a lot of uncertainty but I would like to see someone come in who is collaborative, transparent and willing to listen to others without losing a sense of direction. howard.blume@latimes.com Twitter: @howardblume ALSO Play this guessing game on the next L.A. schools superintendent Superintendent candidates emerge as L.A. Unified seeks to keep job hunt a secret Michelle King will head L.A. schools as the search for a superintendent continues Nearly three years ago, the Legislature placed an advisory measure on the ballot asking voters to weigh in on the Supreme Courts ruling in the Citizens United case, which struck down certain campaign spending limits. A conservative group sued and succeeded in getting the measure yanked from the ballot. On Monday, the same court that took the measure off the ballot decided 6 to 1 that it could go back on. Advertisement The decision by the California Supreme Court, handed down in 143 pages with separate opinions from four justices, said the Legislature may place advisory measures on the ballot as long as there is a nexus between the proposition and actions the Legislature might take in the future. Though the holding was narrow and aimed squarely at the Citizens United proposition, election experts said they expect the Legislature to authorize more such measures in efforts to manipulate voter turnout. Join the conversation on Facebook >> The reason this is going on the ballot is not because the Legislature needs advice, but as a way of getting Democrats and others excited, said UC Irvine law professor Richard L. Hasen, an expert on election law. Citizens United was a polarizing opinion, and it is very unpopular. Democrats have used minimum-wage measures to attract Democratic voters, and Republicans have used same-sex marriage bans to lure Republicans to the polls, Hasen said. More than a dozen other states permit their legislators to put advisory measures on statewide ballots. Trying to manipulate the ballot for politics is not new, Hasen said. This just gives the Legislature one more tool to do that. Dan Schnur, who directs the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC, called the Citizens United measure a fairly transparent way of attempting to boost Democratic turnout in November. Once you have been given the green light to put an initiative on the ballot for only symbolic value, it is going to become very addictive, Schnur said. There is no disincentive to do this year in and year out. The California Supreme Court seems to have decided that using ballot initiatives as a voter turnout mechanism is perfectly legal, he said. SIGN UP for the free Essential Politics newsletter >> The proposition authorized by the Legislature asks voters whether there should be a federal constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which permitted unlimited corporate and union spending for federal candidates. Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar, writing for the court majority, said the referendum was related to legislative duties because state legislatures have a role in passing federal constitutional amendments. Legislators may solicit and consider the views of the people on fundamental matters pertaining to federal constitutional amendments, Werdegar wrote. Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, who cast the sole vote in 2014 to allow the measure to remain on the ballot, said she joined the opinion because it did not broadly restrict the Legislatures powers. Nothing in todays decision should be viewed as calling into question the validity of all types of statewide and local advisory ballot measures, even those completely unrelated to any proposed amendment to the federal Constitution, the chief justice wrote. Justice Carol A. Corrigan agreed. Advisory measures that are reasonably related to any proper use of legislative power are permissible, she wrote. Justice Ming W. Chin dissented, saying the measure should stay off the ballot. The Legislature should not be permitted to hijack the ballot to serve its own agenda, Chin wrote. Justice Goodwin Liu did not sign the majority decision. In a concurring opinion, he said he agreed that the Citizens United measure was appropriate for the ballot but argued that most such measures should be barred. A legislative majority opposed to an initiative could swell the ballot with advisory measures on the same subject, Liu wrote. Such an approach would be much easier than qualifying a competing initiative but no less effective in confusing and exhausting the electorate. Thomas W. Hiltachk, who represented the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., which challenged the ballot measure, said the Legislature will have to pass another law to get it on Novembers ballot. If the Legislature views the ruling as an invitation to authorize all sorts of advisory measures, the problems we are concerned about will arise again and we will take them on again, Hiltachk said. Lawyers for the Legislature have been asked to determine whether the secretary of state has the authority to put the measure on the November ballot or whether a new bill must be introduced. I certainly expect it to be on the ballot one way or another, said Derek Cressman, who was the campaign manager for the proposition before it was removed from the ballot. U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who sponsored the measure when he was in the California Legislature, said he absolutely believes the measure will go before voters in November, even if it requires another bill. I dont see any reason for it not to pass again, he said. Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO First El Nino rain hits L.A.; bigger storms later in the week Employees return to site of San Bernardino terrorist attack Man who allegedly killed father in Rowland Heights shooting is released The Inland Regional Center complex in San Bernardino, the site of a terror attack last month that left 14 dead, reopened on Monday, just hours before a memorial for the shooting victims was expected to begin. As you can imagine, it has been a very difficult time for us and were very glad to be back at our IRC home, facility executive director Lavinia Johnson told a cluster of reporters outside the center Monday morning. On Dec. 2, the IRC hosted a training session and holiday party for San Bernardino Countys Department of Public Health in one of its buildings when Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, an inspector with the department, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, 29, began their shooting rampage. The pair were killed in a police shootout hours later. Advertisement MORE: Get our best stories in your Facebook feed >> Since the attack, the campus has remained closed. The property was surrounded by fencing with security guards checking employee badges at each entrance Monday morning a stark difference from the openness the campus enjoyed prior to the shooting. The building where the attack occurred remains closed and county officials have not determined what theyll do with it or if it will ever be reopened, Johnson said. A security guard checks employee ID badges as they enter the Inland Regional Center complex in San Bernardino as it opens for the first time since a mass shooting there last month that left 14 people dead. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) The regional centers 600 employees coordinate services for more than 30,000 clients with developmental disabilities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. No patients will be visiting the center this week, Johnson said. Counselors were at the facility to speak with workers, she said. We can talk through it and were here to support each other. Were a team, Johnson said. Donaciano Meza, a program manager, said he and many others would be thinking of the victims of the shooting on their return, including Larry Daniel Kaufman, 42, who ran the coffee shop at IRC and was killed in the shooting. Kaufman prepared coffee for IRC workers and trained some of its clients to be baristas, Meza said. All of our staff knew him, he said. He was a very important part of our daily rituals...we will all miss him. Kevin Urtz, the IRCs associate executive director, said hes been back at the center for about a week and was glad to see the others return. Im happy were trying to get a little bit back to normal, he said. Leeza Hoyt, a spokeswoman for the regional center, said it distributed 350 iPads to employees in the days after the shooting, allowing them to access patient records and stay in touch with service providers to coordinate care remotely. But Hoyt said being back together under the same roof will help employees do their work more effectively. They work in teams, and as you can imagine, theyre all looking forward to getting back together with their team, she said. Theres a camaraderie that happens; theres a brainstorming function that happens. As for the clients, she said, I think knowing the building is again operating and open will give them a sense of comfort. Later in the afternoon on the other side of the county, state leaders were expected to gather in Ontario for a memorial to the San Bernardino terrorist attack victims. Gov. Jerry Brown and state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris were among those slated to attend. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna. ALSO For those wounded in San Bernardino, a painful path to recovery Enrique Marquez Jr. faces more charges in San Bernardino terrorist attack FBI is working on a timeline leading up to the San Bernardino mass shooting State senators jumped into Californias homelessness crisis Monday, proposing $2 billion to build or rehabilitate permanent housing for mentally ill people living in the streets. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, speaking with a bipartisan group of elected leaders, also called for $200 million over four years for temporary rent subsidies to bridge the gap until the new housing is completed. Officials estimated the construction funds, combined with federal and local money, could generate 10,000 to 14,000 units for Californias 116,000 homeless people, more than 60% of whom live outdoors. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Advertisement The funding proposal is the most sweeping from the state in a generation, officials said, and reflects elected leaders growing frustration with local politicians, particularly in Los Angeles, who have failed to gain traction in the drive to help the states most destitute residents. Former Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), who joined De Leon at the news conference, said he is absolutely frustrated with the inadequate response to homelessness by local governments, but he hopes an infusion of state funding will begin to address the problem. The problem is getting worse everywhere, he said in Sacramento on Monday. At the same time we know what works. Los Angeles city and county have the most chronically homeless people in the nation, and homelessness overall grew 12% from 2013 to 2015. Many advocates expect another jump in numbers this month, when homeless people again are counted, despite unprecedented spending by local and federal officials last year. L.A. has the unfortunate distinction of being the countrys homeless capital, De Leon said at a morning news conference at a skid row homeless housing project. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, state Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) and Sen. Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) also spoke in support of the proposal. Here we are in skid row Los Angeles, not up in Sacramento, doing everything to make a serious effort to help those who need it the most, De Leon said. The senators proposal calls for the state to issue $2 billion in bonds, which would be repaid over 20 to 30 years with money provided under Proposition 63, the millionaires tax for mental health services that voters approved in 2004. The $200 million would come from the states general fund. While some Proposition 63 money has gone to mentally ill homeless people and housing, it is nothing on the scale proposed Monday, said Gary Blasi, a retired UCLA law professor and homelessness expert, now with Public Counsels Opportunity Under Law nonprofit law center. The senators plan will be negotiated with the Assembly and Gov. Jerry Brown over the spring, toward a final budget in June, officials said. Los Angeles County and city have pledged $100 million each to combat homelessness and plan to unveil separate strategies this week. The county has already allocated $101 million to the effort, while the city has set aside $12.4 million for emergency relief before the expected El Nino winter storms. Downtown leaders and homeless advocates applauded the senators initiative. Its amazing, said Blair Besten, executive director of the downtown Historic Core Business Improvement District. Mayor Eric Garcetti endorsed more state funding, while Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich criticized the initiative for taking funding decisions out of local leaders hands. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> Solving our homelessness crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and financial support from the state is essential to getting people off the street and into homes, Garcetti said in a statement. Any directives by the state could undermine this expansion effort and delay progress being made in their own unique communities, Antonovich said in a statement. Some of the $400 million in Proposition 63 money the county received this year goes to housing, but it also funds a range of mental health services, including crisis intervention and transition programs for people coming out of locked psychiatric facilities. Both Brown and Assembly Democrats said they welcomed De Leons focus on homelessness but stopped short of embracing the plan. The administration is supportive of efforts to empower local governments to tackle homelessness, poverty, and mental health issues in our communities and we will take a close look at the proposals in this package, Brown deputy press spokeswoman Deborah Hoffman said in a statement. Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who has pushed for more affordable housing, said she was looking forward to seeing the details. The proposal advanced by the Senate helps both houses and both parties start the year on the same page in making homelessness a top priority, Atkins said in a statement. The new units would operate on a housing first model, taking in homeless people with mental illness and drug and alcohol problems even if they refuse psychiatric or substance abuse treatment, officials said. The city and county of Los Angeles have been moving toward the model, which is endorsed by most experts and the federal government, but some funding still goes to housing with sobriety or treatment requirements, advocates said. The evidence is overwhelming that people with serious mental health problems cannot successfully deal with those problems while living on the streets, Blasi said. The senators also proposed additional financial support for families on welfare facing or in danger of homelessness, and an increase in the states supplemental security income payments to 1.3 million elderly, blind and disabled poor people who cannot work. The additional programs would cost $100 million or more, an official said. Theresa Winkler said at the news conference that she lived on the streets most of her life, turning to prostitution and using drugs before finding sobriety and a place to live with one of skid rows nonprofit housing providers. Its not fun for people, particularly women, to lie in the dirt, she said. By having housing, my life has been given a purpose. Twitter: @geholland Times staff writers Abby Sewell in Los Angeles and Melanie Mason and Phil Willon in Sacramento contributed to this report. ALSO El Nino hits California: These maps tell the story of heavy rains Elephant seal that tried to cross California highway is now a mom Citizens United advisory measure can go on ballot, California high court says Larry Gordon, who helped revolutionized surfing with the creation of foam boards, has died, his daughter said. He was in his 70s. Debbie Gordon, who manages Gordon & Smith Surfboards & Skateboards, announced her fathers death New Years Day on Facebook, and it quickly spread to the surfing community. Gordon was 19 and studying chemistry at San Diego State University when he started experimenting with foam materials at his fathers factory, Gordon Plastics. He then started shaping boards in his friend Floyd Smiths garage. Advertisement It was hard to come by surfboards, and the ones out there were mostly made out of balsa wood and were heavy and hard to maneuver, Gordon told the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2007. So we made a mold and blew foam to build our own boards. Gordon and Smith started the company G&S in the late 1950s. Their polyurethane foam boards, lighter and easier to ride, made surfing more accessible, helping to drive its popularity across the globe and making unwieldy balsa boards obsolete. In 1959, the pair had to move to a bigger shop in Pacific Beach as their product attracted an international following. The company continued to grow over the next few decades, adding skateboards, short boards and surf wear. On the surfing blog Kelpfire, author Ken Lewis said G&S was a huge brand in surfing. Larrys real legacy is not just as a savvy business owner, he wrote in reaction to Gordons death, but that of a surfer who followed his heart and was the father to his great family. In a 2014 interview, Gordon said: Its a great culture to be a part of, and I am thankful that I was able to play a part in the development of the sport and the modern foam surfboard. Molnar writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. When state lawmakers return Monday for the start of the new legislative year, their plate will be full of leftovers from 2015, including bills to snuff out smoking, raise the minimum wage and expand the states policies on paid family leave. And the 2016 agenda will get even more crowded with the raft of new bills lawmakers will introduce as they return from a nearly three-month recess, including a focus on tightening Californias already tough gun laws in the wake of last months deadly terrorist attack in San Bernardino. But the typical chaos of the Capitol may be intensified this year, the last of the two-year session, with turnover among three of the four top leadership positions and increasing overlap between ballot measures and legislative action. Advertisement And looming large are the November elections, in which every Assembly seat and half the Senate seats will be up for grabs, which could make it more difficult to push through controversial proposals. Ive got a feeling that this being an election year, lawmakers wont want to ruffle any feathers because this electorate is so volatile, even in California, said Patrick Dorinson, a political blogger and former deputy secretary for Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Join the conversation on Facebook >> That may especially be the case when it comes to tax increases, which require a two-thirds vote in each house. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown called for special attention to the states transportation and healthcare needs, but his administration was unable to secure the bipartisan support necessary to approve new taxes to fund those programs. With those questions remaining unresolved, healthcare and infrastructure will probably be key issues in Browns new budget proposal, which he will release in the coming days. The bills that were delayed last year often deal with the thorniest political issues, such as Assemblywoman Shirley Webers effort to craft state guidelines on police use of body cameras. The San Diego Democrat introduced her bill after a string of high-profile police shootings, but the proposal sputtered under stiff opposition from law enforcement groups. I thought that with all the stuff that happened, it would at least make it easier to have the conversation at the Capitol, Weber said. But she said the debate was just shut down. She plans to revisit body cameras this year, although continued resistance from some police groups may make it an uphill battle. Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) also plans to return to a bill to require more transparency about how prescription drugs are priced. The measure promises to spark a clash between two deep-pocketed interest groups: health insurers, which back the proposal, and pharmaceutical companies, which oppose it. That standoff will probably be affected by a separate but similar battle that is brewing as a ballot measure. An initiative by the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which recently qualified for the November ballot, would bar the state from paying more for prescription drugs than the cost negotiated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Drug companies are expected to spend heavily in opposition. Solving the problem of exploding drug prices needs more than one approach, Chiu said in a statement. The ballot measure brings more attention to the crisis and bolsters the need for transparency around costs. The November ballot could potentially be full of other initiatives that mirror bills making their way through the Legislature, including ballot measures raising the minimum wage, expanding gun control, regulating electronic cigarettes and raising tobacco taxes. Those ballot measures may make it harder to win legislative approval of similar bills, said Larry Gerston, a political scientist at San Jose State University. For many if not most legislators the thinking will be Why should I put my neck on the line when I can defer to the will of the electorate? Gerston said. Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), who has a reputation for tackling particularly difficult issues, is unfazed by the challenges of the new legislative year. He has three high-profile measures left over from 2015, including one to restrict the use of electronic cigarettes. The anti-vaping bill is one of five measures proposed last year to address tobacco use, including proposals to increase the tobacco tax by $2 a pack, raise the smoking age from 18 to 21 and expand the number of public places where smoking would be prohibited. It is virtually unregulated, Leno said of the electronic cigarette industry. This is a multibillion-dollar industry that is doubling every other year, and the fastest-growing market segment is middle and high school students who have never smoked a cigarette before. The tobacco industry plans to fight the new measure, as do e-cigarette enthusiasts. Because vaping devices uses vapor instead of combustible tobacco, they are safer than regular cigarettes and are often used by smokers to kick the habit, according to Erick Beall of the Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Assn. Leno and medical groups including the American Lung Assn. of California dispute that electronic cigarettes are a safe alternative to smoking and say one can lead to the other. Leno is also the sponsor of a bill that would raise the state minimum wage to $13 per hour in 2017. Weve always believed that it should not be legal to pay a sub-poverty wage in California, Leno said. We have the highest rate of poverty in the country. He expects continued strong opposition from the business community, which has so far been able to get enough Republicans and moderate Democrats to withhold their support. Leno said the unemployment rate has gone down in California from the time the minimum wage was raised from $8 to $9 18 months ago until last week, when it went to $10 per hour. News events can often dictate legislators focus. The San Bernardino attack, in which 14 were killed and 22 wounded, has brought gun control back to the forefront. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) recently said he would submit a package of gun control bills to his colleagues. They are expected to include a requirement that buyers of ammunition be screened to determine whether they are disqualified from possessing guns because of criminal records or serious mental illness. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale) is separately proposing to ban the sale of weapons to people on the federal governments no fly list, an idea thats also been debated in Congress. Efforts are also expected to address the changing nature of the workplace. Of particular interest may be the rising number of those who work in part-time jobs the so-called gig economy. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) has said she intends to introduce legislation to allow those workers to use their collective power for new on-the-job protections and benefits. Others, meanwhile, plan to address workplace issues that tie back to presidential politics. Though California is expected to be all but forgotten on the campaign for the White House, the 2016 race may seep into Sacramento with liberal policies to aid working families, such as paid family leave. Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) said he hopes to capitalize on that campaign rhetoric to boost a bill he introduced last year to expand the states paid family leave law. When theres a national conversation about this issue, its a big deal, said Gomez, who has been in negotiations with Browns administration about the measure. Knowing that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders would be focusing on paid family leave, I knew I could afford to wait a few months to work with the governor and hopefully get a signature, he said. I believed the political environment would be more ripe. patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com Twitter: @mcgreevy99 melanie.mason@latimes.com Twitter: @melmason ALSO Live updates: A return to Sacramento Higher pay, hoverboards and vaccinations: Hundreds of new laws in California These California lawmakers dont live in the districts they represent One mother spent a decade after her daughters deaths changing car-rental laws Whatever the changes sweeping his north Denver neighborhood, Manuel Ramos can at least count on the huevos con chorizo at Taqueria Patzcuaro. Wearing a black leather jacket that makes his swept-back hair seem stark white, he grabs a table and orders a plate of the familiar. Men in sombreros and a mustachioed Emiliano Zapata stare out from black-and-white posters on the walls, a reminder that much of Colorado was, after all, Mexican territory well into the 19th century. Ramos can trace his own roots to Mexicos Zacatecas state, where his father was born before the family moved to the U.S. in search of work and wound up in the mining country of Colorado. Advertisement Ramos, born in 1948 in the southern Colorado town of Florence, thought of himself as a revolutionary. One of his first protests was a sit-in at his Colorado Springs high school. He still has the yearbook with the photo. I dont quite remember the issue, Ramos says. I think they were trying to discipline a student over long hair or something stupid. So we sat in the hall. And there I was. He studied political science at Colorado State University and enmeshed himself in campus campaigns against the Vietnam War and in favor of more places for minority staff and students on campus. He went to law school at the University of Colorado because he saw law as a way to continue his activism. For a time, when he decided he was fed up with the law and needed a break, he found a job in a motorcycle parts factory and tried, unsuccessfully, to unionize his fellow workers. He wrote a short story about the factory. Then some more stories, which he published. Novels and literary prizes followed. The neighborhood is a recurring character. Next door to Taqueria Patzcuaro, a Realtors available signs are propped in the windows of Denver Music as the owners packed up their remaining inventory of Spanish-language movies and CDs. A few doors down is a frozen yogurt parlor and across the street a gourmet burger restaurant. Gentrification can make it difficult to get his bearings. He and his wife sometimes find themselves driving down streets trying to remember what used to be at this corner or behind that storefront. Its hard to reconcile the changes, Ramos says between bites of his eggs. You wonder where the people are going. In his 2013 novel Desperado, Ramos imagines the future of a north Denver taqueria. The main character, Gus Corral, discovers it has been redecorated like the bars and restaurants in the trendy parts of town, its walls covered with stock photographs celebrating the romantic Old West: No photographs of Mexicans, Corral muses. Guess we werent around when the photographer set up his equipment. We were probably picking crops for shipping on the next train, or lugging silver from mines. Ramos puts Latinos back in the picture. He is known as a crime writer, but that doesnt quite capture what he does. His books are love stories, political dramas, mordant cautionary tales. Characters who are Latino, black and white, artists, professionals and laborers, are described in staccato chapters, like a catchy corrido. Its hard to find anything about Latinos in fiction about Denver, Ramos says. Im doing something thats not done. This year the Denver Public Library opened a branch named for activist and poet Rodolfo Corky Gonzales despite objections from some who view him as a violent radical. Outside the state, Gonzalez is perhaps best known for his poem I Am Joaquin, in which he summed up the complicated history of the complex people called Latinos or Chicanos or Hispanics, and declared, I am still here! Despite official commemorations, Ramos worries that todays activists fighting poverty, police brutality, and political and educational ills dont always see that they are part of a long tradition, or that they may miss how much progress has been made. I have to be careful and not sound as though things havent changed, that things have not gotten better, that were all poor and oppressed, Ramos says. The impact that the Chicano movement had on this city is tremendous. But its hard to find the history. Ramos, who recently retired from a top job at the state legal aid program, says he wants to write a novel set during the Great Depression when the Colorado governor declared martial law and sent the National Guard to the New Mexico border to keep out poor non-Coloradans for the most part Latinos, whom many whites viewed as competition for scarce jobs. He says one of the characters would resemble his father, a man who knew the meaning of hard work and tried to teach it to his young son, who spent the summers with him on construction sites. He worked the hell out of me, Ramos says with pride. After lunch, he walks home along 32nd Avenue, where Corral in the book runs a secondhand shop. In one scene, Corral is on his way to work when he gets caught in a sudden storm that mirrors his inner turmoil. Corral finds shelter. Thats Gus, Ramos says. Hes going to survive. But I dont know that hes going to stay in this neighborhood. President Obama will announce Tuesday that hell act on his own authority to expand background checks for would-be gun buyers and increase enforcement of existing laws, a culmination of his effort to curb gun violence that nonetheless falls short of sweeping change he had long sought. Though Obama is going around Congress yet again to act on a policy priority, as he did on immigration and climate, he is limited in what he can legally do without proposing legislative change. His executive actions neither close the so-called gun-show loophole nor require universal background checks, two possibilities he had directed aides to explore amid a spate of mass shootings in the fall. Obama plans to clarify federal law that allows for private gun sales without background checks on buyers, senior advisors said. Anyone who makes a living from selling guns online or at gun shows, two places where sellers are considered collectors or hobbyists making private sales, will no longer be freed from the requirement to conduct such checks. Advertisement Under a new reading of federal rules, a person can be considered a dealer engaged in the business of dealing in firearms even if they make only a few sales. We have to be very clear that this is not going to solve every violent crime in this country. Its not going to prevent every mass shooting, Obama acknowledged to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. But, he said, it will potentially save lives and spare families the pain and extraordinary loss. Most of Obamas new initiative will be implemented through the presidents executive authority to direct changes in his agencies. The new guidelines governing private sales, for example, are a clarification of existing practices at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as the White House sees it. Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch told reporters that her agency will put sellers on notice of the clarification and warn them that the real definition of private sales is narrow. The new guidance is consistent with existing law because it clarifies its original intent, said Lynch and White House officials. The hobbyist exemption in federal law was never meant to cover people regularly devoting significant time and effort to selling firearms just because they were doing so at a gun show, she said. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Sellers will no longer be able to claim collector status by saying, I only have a booth at a flea market, Lynch said. Thats not the standard. Curbing gun violence has long been a priority for Obama. He has called the day of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre in 2012 the worst of his presidency, and after the October mass shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Ore., that killed 10, he lamented that somehow this has become routine. After the Roseburg shooting, he ordered his administration to again search for ways to limit the flow of guns into the hands of mass killers, and this weeks actions appear to be the fruit of that assignment. Obama said he believes his new initiatives are supported by the overwhelming majority of the American people, including gun owners. Obamas anticipated rules or regulation change inspired a furious response even before its announcement. Several Republican presidential candidates decried his plans. On Sunday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called Obama a petulant child whos acting as if hes a king, as if hes a dictator. And House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said Monday that the president is at a minimum subverting the legislative branch and potentially overturning its will by acting unilaterally. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> The Senate in 2013 rejected Obamas legislative proposals to overhaul gun laws, including provisions designed to run background checks on potential buyers in every gun sale. No president should be able to reverse legislative failure by executive fiat, not even incrementally, Ryan said. This is a dangerous level of executive overreach, and the country will not stand for it. Obama began detailing his plans in a meeting with Democratic lawmakers Monday. Were really happy that the president is really thoughtfully taking some action, Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) said after the meeting. At the same time, I think everyone is realistic that really dealing with the issue, including on background checks, is going to take congressional action. After Obamas address Tuesday comes the administrations push to explain its rules clarification to gun sellers and others. During a six-month education campaign, Justice Department officials will visit flea markets and gun shows and contact sellers via the Internet, letting them know of criminal penalties for failing to register. Dodging the licensure rule can carry five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The ATF will assess each case individually, said Valerie Jarrett, a senior Obama advisor involved in drafting the policy. She said agents will consider such qualifications as whether sellers represent themselves as dealers by taking credit card payments, handing out business cards, selling firearms quickly after acquiring them or selling them in the original packaging. Lynch said it is impossible to predict how many additional dealers might have to register because of a major shift in the industry from selling guns in stores to selling them online. Lynch also sent a letter to state officials emphasizing the importance of getting complete criminal history records to bolster the database for background checks. And the FBI is overhauling the background check system to make it more effective and efficient, with a new standard of trying to do background checks 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Under its rule-making authority, the administration is also finalizing a requirement of background checks for anyone trying to buy certain firearms through a trust or corporation. The ATF is also finalizing a rule requiring dealers who ship firearms to notify law enforcement officials if their guns get lost or are stolen while in transit to a buyer. For news about President Obama, follow me on Twitter: @cparsons ALSO Armed activists in Oregon: Were not looking for bloodshed Obama asks Americans to help stop epidemic of gun violence In Western states, idea of reclaiming federal land still has a strong allure More than a hundred immigrants, mostly Central American families, were detained in a handful of states through the weekend in a federal effort to deport those who recently entered the country and stayed illegally, according to officials and advocates. As part of the operation, 121 people were taken into custody -- primarily in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas -- and are being processed for deportation, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement Monday. Advocates said immigrants were also detained in Maryland, New York and the Midwest, but immigration officials said those may be unrelated or not immigration-enforcement actions. Areas targeted for the sweeps appear to be among those with the highest number of immigrants who have been ordered deported, advocates said. Advertisement This should come as no surprise, Johnson said of the roundup. I have said publicly for months that individuals who constitute enforcement priorities, including families and unaccompanied children, will be removed. In the past, federal officials have targeted adults in workplace raids. But this time, authorities focused on families with children at home, Johnson said. Specifically, officials went after those caught crossing the southern border illegally after May 2014 who had been issued final orders of removal, or deportation, by an immigration court and have no outstanding appeals. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Johnson said that extra precautions were taken, given the sensitive nature of taking into custody and removing families with children, including deploying female agents and medical personnel. Those detained were taken to federal immigrant family detention centers, including a large center about 70 miles south of San Antonio. It was not clear when the sweep would end. At my direction, additional enforcement operations such as these will continue to occur as appropriate, Johnson said. Although federal officials have showed up at some businesses including strip malls on Long Island, New York - advocates said mostly they have sought immigrants at home. Orders of removal give Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents authority to detain immigrants but not to enter their homes without permission. ICE officers and agents often arrive without warrants because immigration judges issue final orders of removal, not warrants in most cases. Immigrants have the right to deny ICE officials entry, and if they say no, the federal officials are expected to honor that. The raids have stirred fear among immigrants nationwide, who have been contacting advocates for advice on what to do if ICE agents come knocking. This weekend, Guatemalan and Salvadoran government officials began posting warnings online for immigrants in the U.S. targeted in the sweeps advising them not to open their doors, to seek legal help and avoid signing documents. Do not open the door to strangers who say they are looking for someone else, the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry recommended in a statement posted online in Spanish, Immigration agents have to show an order signed by a judge to enter your house. If they dont have it, you are not required to open the door. You have rights that have to be respected. Bryan Johnson, a New York-based immigration lawyer, was among those fielding calls - about 140 Monday - from clients worried they might be rounded up. To be on the safe side, just dont answer the door, he tells them. The problem is if you open the door, then its he said, she said. But if you never open the door, theres proof they have to break it down. Many immigrants are unaware that they can turn officials away, he and other advocates said. ICE is going into peoples homes really early and so families feel intimidated and they open the door. They should not open the door unless ICE shares a warrant with a specific name for the person they are looking for, said Cristina Jimenez, managing director of the New York-based group United We Dream, which created a hotline related to the raids. They have received calls about those detained on Long Island and in Austin and Houston, Texas. Folks should be asking for the immigration agents to show them this paper, to pass it under the door, Jimenez said of warrants. Weve also advised people to remain silent because you have the right, Jimenez said. He suggested immigrants keep phone numbers for attorneys, relatives and friends handy. Once immigrants open the door, federal officials are free to question and detain not only those they came for, but others who happen to be home, Jimenez said. They go after everybody. And some of these people are mixed-status families: some are citizens, legal residents, some have status pending, she said. Among those ICE attempted to detain this weekend was a Central American mother who was ordered deported but has an appeal pending, according to Mohammad Abdollahi, a spokesman for the San Antonio-based legal advocacy group that she has been working with. The woman had been staying with her sister in New Jersey, and was out when ICE agents showed up Saturday, Abdollahi said. Her sister refused to open the door and the agents left, he said. Another immigrant woman in San Antonio opened the door to ICE agents who were looking for someone else this weekend, and ended up getting fingerprinted even though she is in the country legally, Abdollahi said. Any time there is an authority figure, people do what they tell them to do, he said, Theyre going after anyone they can find. Follow me for the latest in national news @mollyhf ALSO To cut down on shootings, Chicago police to get more Tasers Protesters led by Cliven Bundys son occupy a building at Oregon wildlife refuge EPA orders barrier installed to protect nuclear waste from underground fire near St. Louis Bill Clinton returns to New Hampshire, where hes among so many old friends (Jim Cole / Associated Press) Dont call it a comeback: Hes been here for years. Bill Clinton, who famously dubbed himself the comeback kid after a strong second-place finish in the 1992 New Hampshire primary, couldnt help but be in a nostalgic mood as he returned here Monday to campaign for his wife. (As are we, with the quarter-century-old LL Cool J reference.) In his familiar soft Southern accent, Clinton started off with an expert retail politicking move: noting so many of my old friends were in the audience, including Nashuas new mayor, who just won the job back after serving until 1992. Clinton called it a good omen, referring to his own ascendance to the White House that year. Clinton, 69, conceded that as he has watched the 2016 election play out -- especially the Republican race -- he feels like I dont fit anymore. So he played the role of the elder statesman that he is. In a sober, yet concise, 30-minute speech to more than 700 supporters, the former president laid out what he saw as the critical questions of the election. How do you have inclusive prosperity, inclusive social policy, more inclusive politics, and stop us from going in reverse at the very moment when were poised to grow together? he asked. He detailed his wifes record in elected and appointed office but just as importantly, he said, what she did before she was elected to anything - citing programs she launched and bipartisan policy she pursued as Arkansas and the nations first lady. Everything she touched, she made better, he argued. She was just a change maker. He made little mention of his wifes potential Republican opponents and none of the Democrats she must first defeat to win the nomination. But there were occasional allusions to the policies of Republicans like Donald Trump as he urged voters not to discount the heated rhetoric of the opposition. Its kind of scary this year, but believe it or not, most everybody actually tries to do what they say theyre gonna do when theyre running, he said. They are telling you what they believe. And so youve got to take them seriously. As the year ended, the campaign against the militant group Islamic State recorded some significant victories on the battlefield. Iraqi forces trained by the United States and supported by U.S.-led airstrikes regained control of the city of Ramadi and coalition attacks killed several Islamic State operatives, including two men linked to the gunmen who killed 130 people in Paris in November. In an interview with NPR, President Obama said that the militants self-declared caliphate had lost about 40% of the populated territory it had controlled in the region. But no one should be under any illusion that Obamas campaign to degrade and ultimately destroy Islamic State is on the verge of achieving the more ambitious of those objectives. Obama has acknowledged that progress probably will be gradual, even with an increase in U.S. and allied airstrikes and the deployment of U.S. special forces to Syria as well as Iraq. He told NPR that he hoped there will have been significant progress in degrading Islamic State by the time he leaves office. The strife in Syria, which has uprooted millions and contributed to a refugee crisis in neighboring countries and in Europe, has also contributed to the rise of Islamic State. Advertisement Moreover, exterminating Islamic State will depend on diplomatic as well as military initiatives notably negotiations on a cease-fire in Syrias civil war and the creation of new political arrangements in that country as provided for in a recent United Nations Security Council resolution. The strife in Syria, which has uprooted millions and contributed to a refugee crisis in neighboring countries and in Europe, has also contributed to the rise of Islamic State. The resolution approved by the Security Council on Dec. 18 calls for a political process aimed at producing a credible, inclusive and nonsectarian government and a new constitution and proposes new elections administered by the U.N. It also authorizes member states to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed by Islamic State, Al Qaeda and similar groups. The document is silent, however, on the future role of Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose brutal suppression of peaceful dissent was the prime cause of the civil war and the attendant humanitarian catastrophe. Russia continues to support Assad and insists he should be able to run in a future election. Although Obama has long maintained that Assad must step aside, Secretary of State John F. Kerry recently said that the U.S. is not seeking so-called regime change in Syria. Reportedly, the U.S. will concentrate instead on pressing for an election process in which Assad would not enjoy an unfair advantage or be able to rig the results. The notion that the brutal Assad would have any role in a future Syrian government is a bitter pill, and not only for Syrians. But the Obama administration is right to attach greater priority to ending the killing, stopping the hemorrhage of refugees and targeting Islamic State. The question is whether Assads opponents will feel confident enough about the negotiations to accept their outcome and lay down their arms. For war-weary Americans, its frustrating that the U.S. continues to be involved militarily in the Middle East, even if U.S. forces arent engaged in frontline fighting. That frustration surely is shared by Obama, who made extrication of the U.S. from foreign wars a major theme of his administration. The president had no choice, however, but to respond to the threat posed by Islamic State both to regional stability and to the safety of people in Europe and the U.S. who may be targeted by terrorists directed or inspired by Islamic State. But Obama is also right to rule out the use of ground combat forces in either Syria or Iraq a policy Congress needs to affirm in a new Authorization for Use of Military Force and to resist proposals (from Hillary Clinton, among others) that the U.S. establish a no-fly zone in Syria. As Obama noted, Islamic State doesnt have an air force. Russia, however, does, and it has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria. A no-fly zone would create the possibility that the U.S. would down a Russian plane, a dangerous scenario. In both Syria and Iraq, degrading and ultimately destroying Islamic State will take time and will require not only military action but also compromise among hostile ethnic and sectarian groups, a process the U.S. can influence only indirectly. Persistence is important, but so is patience. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook It started with garbage. When I was a kid and didnt want something anymore, I just threw it away. Pfft. Gone. Then came the environmental movement, and we all learned that garbage doesnt disappear. It gets moved around and buried or burnt, but even then the smoke goes into the air and the ashes go into landfills. It never really goes away. Then it was official records. When I was in school, we had something called our permanent yellow sheets. If you talked back to your homeroom teacher or pushed a boy on the playground, it went on your permanent yellow sheets and it would follow you forever. Or so they said. But in those days, records were actual pieces of paper in a file cabinet. So if somebody removed those pieces of paper, it would be as if the transgression had never occurred. All record of the offense would go away. With the advent of computers, everything changed. Being out of touch is no longer a feature of foreign travel, even to far distant lands. You cant go away. Advertisement As a labor arbitrator, I often hear cases involving employee disciplinary action. There are many circumstances that require old discipline to be expunged. In the days of paper, expungement meant the page documenting the employees violation and punishment would be removed from his file. Now there is a digital record of everything that ever happened to every employee. The record may include the fact that a long-ago disciplinary suspension was expunged, but the record itself never goes away. This permanence problem has now spread to our ephemera. I remember the morning President Kennedy was shot and Lee Harvey Oswald was captured. Our homeroom teacher assured us kids that by the next morning, the FBI would know everything there was to know about Oswald. They would know, he said, the kind of toothpaste he used. Now no one has to shoot anybody. All our toothpaste purchases and Google searches and GPS location records and cellphone calls are maintained forever in the cloud. None of it ever goes away. Not too many years ago my wife and I would go on vacation and leave an extended absence announcement: Were going to be out of the country and will not have access to voice mail or email while were away. We could still say that, but it is no longer true. Being out of touch is no longer a feature of foreign travel, even to distant lands. You cant go away. And then, of course, there is the matter of old lovers. In the past, old lovers had the good manners to disappear. Fond memories remained fond. Unpleasant ones faded. There was a wistfulness that accompanied thoughts of the road not taken. We might not always have Paris, but well always have Benton Harbor. No more. Old lovers can be resurrected with two clicks. They never go away. Increasingly, we live in a world in which nothing goes away. The very notion of away is going away. Barry Goldman is an arbitrator and mediator. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook California ethics panel approves more detailed lobbying disclosure (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Special interest groups will have to disclose many more details of how they are spending money to influence California officials under new rules approved Thursday by the states ethics panel. Currently, corporations, labor unions and other groups must report the money they pay directly to lobbyists, along with the identity of the advocate. But the rest of the cash they spend on consultants, television and radio campaigns, public affairs and mail is reported as a lump sum in a category called other payments to influence, without any explanation. The amount of money that is being spent in the dark is extremely compelling, said state Fair Political Practices Commission member Eric Casher. The panel on Thursday voted to require, starting in July, that lobbying firms report details of any payment to influence of $2,500 per calendar quarter, including money spent on mailers, TV ads and polls. In order to make sure people are playing by the rules, we need this type of information, said Jodi Remke, chairwoman of the panel. It puts a light on what is going on. The newly disclosed information will include the name and business address of the payee, the amount paid and the primary purpose of the payment. Purposes will be disclosed by codes broadly designating activities that include: --Payments for public affairs, which includes coalition building, grass-roots campaigns,, news releases, media campaigns, literature and mailings. --Polling and public opinion research: --Lobbying events, including rallies or hearings to influence legislative or administrative action. --Advertising spending, including billboards, print, radio, television, text, email and other electronic communication. --Money paid to lobbyists and consultants for researching, analyzing or drafting legislation, and recommending strategy on pending bills and administrative proposals. Remke said the new rules may reveal which former legislators are working behind the scenes to help clients without registering as lobbyists because they dont meet thresholds for payments received to directly communicate with elected officials. Remke made reference, without using names, to former state Sen. Michael Rubio (D-Bakersfield) and former state Assemblyman Henry Perea (D-Fresno), who resigned from the Legislature to go to work in the government affairs offices of Chevron and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, respectively. I think we are going to get [disclosure of] the people like the former members who leave the Legislature early, join Chevron, join the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers, but call themselves government relations advocates, Remke said. But we know what they are doing. They are exposing their clients to the [legislative] members and doing other things short of direct communication. The funny thing about interruption provisions in cruise insurance is that they dont cover interruptions in itinerary. Take the case of the Island Princess, which was two days into a 12-night Mediterranean cruise when an announcement interrupted a karaoke contest. Ladies and gentlemen, you may have noticed we have stopped. There is a boat in distress and we are negotiating a rescue, passenger Jessica MacMaster recalled hearing. Advertisement The cruise had diverted from its voyage to Istanbul, Turkey, to pluck 117 people from a small, floundering sailboat. The migrants were taken onto the cruise ship July 11 and delivered the next day to the Greek mainland. Reminding the passengers that they had probably saved lives, the captain announced that the ship no longer had time to go to Istanbul and would visit the Greek island of Santorini instead. You could kind of sense that people were mad, but at the same time understood, said MacMaster of Fort Collins, Colo. They knew they couldnt really voice their opinion because they had to be human. Although the cruise missed one of its advertised destinations, passengers who had cruise insurance policies that included trip-interruption coverage wouldnt receive reimbursement. As long as the passenger got what the insurance company perceives is the full value of the trip, there is not going to be reimbursement for that missed location because there is not a financial impact that can be directly measured related to one particular location over another, said Joe Tritz, U.S. travel product head for AIG Travel Inc., which offers insurance under the Travel Guard name. Trip-interruption insurance would kick in on a prorated basis if the cruise were shortened due to inclement weather, illness, a strike or another approved reason. But when the cruise continues, insurance coverage doesnt come into play even if the ship skips an advertised location. Unlike the passengers on the Island Princess, not everyone is as accepting about being rerouted. In May, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Disney Cruise Line canceled three ships stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, after criminal gangs fought with local authorities. About 100 passengers on one of the ships held an hour-long protest, according to postings on CruiseCritic.com. Ocean-going cruise lines declined to give numbers on the frequency of disruptions, and the Cruise Line International Assn. doesnt track them. Roger Frizzell, a spokesman for Carnival Corp., whose holdings include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland American Line, Cunard and Costa, among others, said the company rarely cancels stops. A person set on a particular locale should talk to a travel agent when planning the trip to ensure that transportation to the destination will be covered by the policy. The customer should also learn if the policy will cover trip cancellation, travel delays, lost luggage, medical emergencies, trip interruption, etc. Then, the customer should make sure he or she understands the limitations of the coverage. Agents can be extra helpful when interpreting insurance plans, and can provide an added resource if things go wrong on a trip, or if theres a need for a middleman with the insurance company, said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in chief of CruiseCritic.com. Despite her missed visit to Istanbul, MacMaster, a comedian who also works as a meeting planner, hasnt soured on cruises. She notes that car trips can be affected by traffic jams, and flights are routinely canceled or delayed because of weather or mechanical issues. I dont think its necessarily cruise-specific that your plans can be interrupted, she said. You never know what is going to happen. travel@latimes.com Her name is Penny Sparrow and, over the course of two days, she went from being an anonymous South African real estate agent to perhaps the countrys most hated woman. Sparrow ignited a social media storm when she posted a Facebook rant comparing black people to monkeys. The uproar has shone a spotlight into a deep racial divide more than two decades after South Africa scuttled the apartheid system that institutionalized racism. And when Sparrow took to Facebook to apologize and local media to explain, she only made things worse. Advertisement Join the conversation on Facebook >> Sparrows initial post Saturday insulted black people enjoying New Years Eve and New Years Day on the beaches in Durban, in South Africas east coast province, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Beaches were strictly segregated under apartheid. To allow them loose is inviting huge dirt and discomfort and troubles to others, she wrote of black people. Complaining about rubbish left on the beach, she wrote that she would address the blacks of South Africa as monkeys as I see cute little wild monkeys do the same [sic] pick drop and litter. Sparrow posted an apology on Facebook saying the comments were not meant to be a personal thing. Her defense of the remarks Monday in an interview with a South African news site, News 24, only made things worse. Sparrow appeared sorrier to be at the center of a viral media storm than about the offense her comments caused. She also repeated the monkey comparison. I am sorry that it has taken such a viral turn, but it was just a statement of how it was, she said. I made the mistake of comparing them with monkeys. Monkeys are cute and theyre naughty.... I wasnt being nasty or rude or horrible, but its just that they make a mess. It is just how they are. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> More than two decades after the end of apartheid, racist abuse on social media and online is so commonplace that several media outlets last year shut down the comments sections under news articles. A survey last month by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation found that 61.4% of South Africans felt that race relations since the end of white minority rule in 1994 had either remained the same or deteriorated. More than 60% said they experienced racism in their daily lives and more than 67% said they had little or no trust in people of other racial groups. (By comparison, in a CNN-Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in November, 49% of Americans -- and 66% of African Americans -- said that racism remains a big problem in the United States. Roughly one-quarter of the African Americans surveyed said they had been subjected to racial discrimination in the previous 30 days.) Thirteen percent of black South Africans surveyed said they experienced racism all or most of the time. According to the survey, most interaction between people of different racial groups occurs in public spaces like workplaces, educational institutions, shopping malls and similar spaces. Interaction in more intimate spaces, such as private homes and social or communal gatherings, is limited, the institute found. Also Monday, South Africas Standard Bank suspended a prominent economist, Chris Hart, over a weekend tweet that the bank said had racist undertones. Hart had tweeted that 25 years after apartheid, its victims now have a sense of entitlement and hatred towards minorities. In South Africa, minorities refers to anyone who is not part of the black majority. Standard Bank tweeted Monday that the comments were factually incorrect and didnt reflect the banks values. It instituted an internal disciplinary hearing. But it was Sparrows tweet that really ignited a firestorm. Sparrow was a member of the countrys main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, which reacted strongly to her comments. The party condemned the remarks, announced it would suspend her, and formally sought criminal charges against her for crimen injuria, the crime of hurting someones dignity through racist or obscene language. Police opened a criminal investigation against her. Racists are not welcome in the DA, and have no place in our democratic South African society, the party said in a statement. The scandal came several months after the Democratic Alliance expelled a prominent party member, Dianne Kohler Barnard, for sharing a Facebook post that begged the white apartheid era leader P.W. Botha to come back because you were far more honest than any of these rogues, and you provided a far better service to the public. Kohler Barnard, a lawmaker and the partys spokeswomen on police, claimed she didnt read the full post before sharing it. She appealed the expulsion and was readmitted to the party last month. Follow @RobynDixon_LAT for news from Africa. ALSO A mayor in Mexico is shot dead a day after taking office A cry for help in Indias Bihar state: We need a toilet desperately Mideast rift widens as Saudi Arabia allies cut ties with Iran Kaliya Devi awakens at 4 a.m., fills a small bucket with water and walks 10 minutes to farmland outside her village in northern India. In the serene light of dawn, she finds a quiet, secluded spot to relieve herself. While she and her five children do without a basic human convenience, a 10-foot-high pile of unused toilets sits in an angular brick structure across from her one-room home. The ceramic bowls and tanks were dropped off three years ago by a charitable organization, Nari Gunjan, but were never installed. Advertisement Join the conversation on Facebook >> We were told we would be getting toilets very soon, said Devi. Nothing has happened since then. Sudha Varghese, the head of Nari Gunjan, said the government approved the toilet project but never provided money it promised for installation. Instead, middlemen with government contacts demanded commission to serve as intermediaries. We are not going to cooperate with the middlemen, said Varghese. The administrators should directly deal with the villagers. It is not the first time that hopes for improved sanitation in Jamsaut, in the impoverished northern state of Bihar, have failed to materialize. In 2011, Bill and Melinda Gates visited the village to discuss their charitable foundations efforts to reduce infant and maternal mortality and stem diseases such as tuberculosis and diarrhea problems that can be tackled with better sanitation facilities. The Microsoft founder and his wife mingled with the residents of this village, who are Mahadalits, the lowest members of Indias hierarchical caste system, with the help of an interpreter. Devi does not know their names, but remembers meeting an influential white couple and looking at them with hope. Four years later, the village of about 500 residents still has no toilets. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> The Gates Foundation did not make specific commitments to Jamsaut, but the organization said it has helped the state of Bihar improve healthcare, including raising the rates of child immunization and the number of babies born in hospitals. Despite this progress, there is a lot of work still to be done, Amy Enright, a spokeswoman for the foundation, wrote in an email. This work is immense and beyond the scope of any one organization. Women say they are most affected by the lack of toilets. We have to go before the road gets busy, otherwise people see us, Devi said as she skinned a chicken outside her home. Going to the bathroom outdoors also puts people at risk of snake bites, her friends added. The United Nations reports that 665 million Indians about half the nations population lack access to toilets. The percentage is even higher here in Bihar, one of Indias poorest states, where one-third of people live on less than $1 a day. Official statistics show that one-quarter of the states 21 million households have access to latrines. Only 58% of schools have dedicated toilets for girls. When someone has to relieve themselves in the dark, we go with a group, said Devi, who is in her 40s. We need a toilet desperately. We are tired of the charade every day. Plus, we are cursed at if someone sees us. Experts believe that many of the toilets that have been installed in Bihar are not functioning because of the lack of drainage and poor maintenance. Even in the state capital, Patna, which glitters with shopping complexes and multiplexes, some residents say their toilets are clogged, leading to sewage overflows and a terrible stench. Open defecation has been linked to assaults on women as well as diseases and stunted growth in children. In 2006, the economic cost of poor sanitation in India was estimated at $53.8 billion, or 6.4% of Indias gross national product. Countries with lower rates of open defecation than India include Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana and Rwanda. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to build more than 100 million toilets as part of a broad Clean India initiative. In a speech 13 months ago, he said protecting the dignity of women required modern sanitation facilities. By August, the government said it had built 8 million toilets, but reports indicate that many are not functioning properly because of the lack of waste disposal systems, or because residents have not been educated on how to use them. In parts of rural India, including Bihar, traditional beliefs suggest that accumulating feces near ones home is inappropriate. The state government has begun a program to educate residents on the benefits of using toilets. Bhaguni Manjhi, dressed neatly in jeans and a shirt, shows a badly constructed common toilet in Jamsaut, which cannot be used because it has not been connected to a drainage system. A young man like me can manage, he said of the lack of working toilets. But what about the old and infirm? They have to endure an ordeal every day. Parth M.N. is a special correspondent. ALSO A mayor in Mexico is shot dead a day after taking office 6.7 earthquake jolts northeastern India and Bangladesh, killing 13 Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Iran in crisis over clerics execution; other nations follow suit High atop a mountain in Mongolia, a team of trackers splits into three groups to check their traps each morning. Their goal: to catch a snow leopard, one of the most elusive creatures on Earth, so rare that few have seen one of the big cats in the wild. After failing to catch a leopard during the first week of their expedition, the World Wildlife Fund team members are growing anxious. Over three expeditions to track and collar the big cats since summer, theyve caught only one leopard. Are they going to end up empty-handed this time? But as crew members are slurping down steaming bowls of traditional milk tea, they get their first break. A herdsman who has heard about their expedition calls to say that a leopard has attacked his flock of sheep and goats. Advertisement SIGN UP for the free Great Reads newsletter >> The team members know that leopards typically return to the site of an initial attack to feast after nightfall, so they surround a sheeps carcass with snare traps. Then, they wait. The following morning, they return to the spot at the foot of Jargalant Khairkhan mountain here in Mongolias Khovd province. The flesh of the sheep has been entirely eaten away, but no traps have been sprung. They curse their bad luck and they marvel again at the leopards skills of evasion. Livestock grazing is encroaching into the snow leopards habitat at Jargalant Khairkhan mountain in Mongolia. (Terrence Edwards / For The Times) :: Known as the spirit of the mountain to locals, snow leopards are rarely seen in the wild because of how well their spotted white fur blends in with their surroundings. Not quite white as snow, as the name might suggest, their fur is still striking especially in contrast with the crystal-blue eyes found on some. The big cats are increasingly threatened as developing Mongolia rapidly expands its economy. With just 3 million people in a country about the size of Alaska, Mongolia is the least densely populated nation. Still, the migration routes of wildlife have been cut off as the country lays down more and more pavement for roads and track for rail, and as developments such as mining projects encroach on age-old habitats. For the snow leopards at Jargalant, and the rest of Mongolia, the biggest threat is encroachment by the countrys tens of thousands of herders. An explosion in the number of horses, cattle, sheep and goats has set off a war between nomads and wildlife. To herders, snow leopard attacks on their animals are common and can cost them thousands of dollars. Of the 4,000 to 6,500 snow leopards the World Wildlife Fund believes remain in the wild, 800 to 1,000 are here in Mongolia. Theyre listed as endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red List of Threatened Species. Mongolias WWF team has a mission: to protect their range. Bactrian camels are native to Khovd province and are kept as livestock by nomadic herders. (Terrence Edwards / For The Times) :: Soronzobold was 13 when he caught a glimpse of his first spotted brother. The snow leopard slunk past a boulder while the teen was tending to his familys livestock in the wilds of western Mongolia. It lasted about two minutes, but Ive thought about it my whole life, he says. Soronzobold, who like many Mongolian nomads goes by a single name, remembered his grandmothers advice: Dont try to hurt the elusive feline, even though it poses a mortal threat to the herd. Not that he would have been able to anyway, being so mesmerized by the agile and graceful movements of the big cat. In the more than two decades since, Soronzobold has encountered endangered snow leopards often enough to hear and see things in the wild that few experts have observed. Now, hes on a mission to protect the animals, putting his specialized knowledge to use for the WWF to monitor the 37 snow leopards it believes inhabit Jargalant mountain. Join the conversation on Facebook >> In November, he welcomed seven WWF staff members into his traditional felt dwelling, known as a ger, transforming the round tent into a base camp for wildlife specialists. It was a bit crowded in the windowless white structure, but the extra bodies kept it toasty while temperatures outside dipped to minus-5 degrees. The specialists knew they would have to summon all of their patience, and hope for some extraordinary luck. It depends on our team and also nature, said Dalannast Munkhnast, a species specialist. I would say its a 50-50 chance. :: After the trap with the sheeps carcass fails to snare the snow leopard, the team is gloomy. Then, suddenly, dejection turns to elation. Its Tengri! exclaims the team biologist, Ochirjav Munkhtogtokh. Hes reviewing images captured by a motion-sensing camera aimed at the traps, and recognizes the tracking collar he helped put on a big cat in 2013 the groups first such successful collaring in Mongolia. They named her Tengri, derived from the word tenger, or sky, which many Mongols worship. Munkhtogtokh said she was given a divine name to reflect the importance of their first catch. For nine months, the collar had transmitted valuable data via satellite about Tengris daily habits and the boundaries of her habitat. But suddenly, in 2014, the device stopped functioning. From that time on, Tengris trackers had no idea whether she was still wearing it or was even alive. Buoyed but anxious, the team regroups. Its very important that we catch Tengri, says Munkhtogtokh, one of Mongolias foremost experts on the snow leopard. If the collar falls off today, we might never find it, he says. And the data would be lost forever. Biologist Ochirjav Munkhtogtokh, top, lines up a shot to tranquilize Tengri the snow leopard. Even when ensnared, the animal blends into its surroundings. (Terrence Edwards / For The Times) :: For centuries in wintertime, Mongolian herders have moved farther up Jargalant, where the leopards roam, to rotate their pastures just as American farmers do to avoid exhausting the land. The difference today is the massive size of herds and the worsening quality of the land. According to government statistics, 70% of the territory used for pasture is degrading or has already become barren. We have predators; wolves and snow leopards are the most worrisome, says Bolor-Erdene, a 23-year-old herder in the area where the WWF team has camped. Those animals arent scared of people at all. Five years ago, we lost 30 livestock in a year, he says. Now its 45 to 50. Soronzobolds ger sits on a wide plain surrounded by light vegetation. It snows only a few times a year here, making it an ideal spot for livestock to graze in winter. A day after Tengri narrowly got away, species specialist Munkhnast delivers the news that a leopard has been ensnared. The team hikes to a spot more than 7,500 feet above sea level. An adult leopard waits uneasily. Munkhtogtokh soundlessly loads a sedative dart into his air gun and aims carefully. After the shot, the leopard makes a violent start, as if stung by a hornet, but quickly regains its composure. Within 30 minutes, though, its asleep, and the team can approach. Its a 4-year-old male, Soronzobold says after collaring the leopard and making his inspection. Its one of Tengris cubs; Im certain of it. World Wildlife Fund scientists examine a sedated male snow leopard on Jargalant mountain in Mongolia. The big cats are an endangered species. (Terrence Edwards / For The Times) :: The World Wildlife Fund plays on traditional superstitions to boost its conservation efforts. Snow leopards are revered, feared and even hated by nomads. Mongolians have a strong dislike for cats in general, and many recite well-known proverbs such as, If you feed a cat, theyll eat you next, or Cats are always watching you, waiting for you to die. But the leopards carry a mystique: Locals say that anyone foolish enough to hurt or kill a snow leopard will suffer from the black footprint curse meaning a dark spot is imprinted on the soul, giving the victim and his family great misfortune. By reinforcing such beliefs, the conservation group hopes herders will be less willing to hunt the cats. Theyve even sponsored production of a film that depicts a terrible end for a herder who set traps for a snow leopard that picked off animals in his herd. After an examination by the World Wildlife Fund, a male snow leopard is left to wake up with its new tracking collar. (Terrence Edwards / For The Times) :: Although the team is in high spirits after tagging the young male, the knowledge that Tengri is still out there, with two years worth of information around her neck, nags at their thoughts. She continues to taunt them in the following days, repeatedly killing livestock near the site of her first attack. But she seems to have the cleverness of the Roadrunner, sneaking past the traps sometimes setting off a device without getting caught. At last, the team decides its time for a new approach. Soronzobold and the WWF group set down a set of smaller snares that are more easily hidden. On the last day of the expedition, the new approach pays off, and Tengri is caught. When the team arrives at the location some miles away from the first kill, Tengri is alert, though less nervous than the male trapped two days earlier (by now he has been named Black Gorge by the team, after the area where he was caught). Again, out comes the air gun. Pop! A shot to the hide. Tengri seems to take it almost in stride. The team removes the old collar and replaces it with a smaller, lighter device. When she awakens about an hour later, she immediately pulls herself up, even though she is still weighed down by the sedatives in her body. It takes only a sideways glance or nod before losing sight of her as she disappears into the dusty crag. Edwards is a special correspondent. MORE GREAT READS Not bound by history, L.A.'s Caravan Book Store continues to turn pages In Myanmar, a young Rohingya dreams of leaving despite foiled boat journey A night of violence that shattered a South Africans view of her white privilege Bahrain and Sudan severed diplomatic ties with Iran on Monday in an apparent act of solidarity with Saudi Arabia, further ratcheting up regional tensions following the kingdoms execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. They were joined by the United Arab Emirates, which reduced its diplomatic representation in Iran to the attache level. For a second day, Saudi Arabia continued a diplomatic onslaught against its regional nemesis, announcing it would prevent its citizens from traveling to Iran, suspend flights between the two countries and cease all commercial trade, according to a statement by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir to the Reuters news agency. Advertisement Iranians coming to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca, however, would still be welcome, he added. Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr, a dissident sheikh from Saudi Arabias restive eastern province, was put to death Saturday as part of a mass execution of what were mostly Al Qaeda extremists. Nimrs death sparked a wave of outrage, especially in Iran, where protesters lobbed Molotov cocktails and stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran early Sunday before being stopped by police. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Although Iranian President Hassan Rouhani quickly condemned the violence, and subsequent protests were held under heavy police supervision, Riyadh insisted that the Iranian government had turned a blind eye to the protesters and allowed the attack to happen. That prompted Saudi authorities to announce Sunday that they were severing diplomatic ties with Iran, and the Saudi allies followed suit. Bahrain, whose Sunni rulers accuse Iran of fomenting dissent among the countrys Shiite-dominated population, declared it would cut off all diplomatic relations due to the worsening of the blatant and dangerous intervention by Iran in the affairs of Bahrain and other Arab states. The announcement came in a statement by the countrys Foreign Ministry. It added that Irans behavior confirmed a determination to spread devastation and destruction, and provoke unrest and strife in the region by providing protection and support for terrorists and extremists. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> The move followed an edict by Bahrains interior ministry threatening action against anyone attempting to use the recent verdicts in Saudi Arabia to heighten sectarian tensions or to incite violence. Sudan followed, declaring an immediate cessation of all diplomatic activity in an effort to counter Iranian plans in the area, according to a report by the official Sudanese news agency, SUNA. The United Arab Emirates, a regional economic powerhouse and Irans fourth largest trading partner, according to local media, recalled its ambassador from Iran, leaving its charge daffaires as its top diplomat in the country, according to a ministry statement. ''This exceptional step has been taken in the light of Irans continuous interference in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels,' the statement said, adding that positive and natural relations between states should be based on mutual respect for the sovereignty of states and the adoption of a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of others. Business relations, however, would continue, the UAE said. Last year, the lifting of economic sanctions on Iran was expected to be a boon for business with the Emirates. In a press conference on Monday, Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said that Saudi Arabia, not Iran, would be the one to suffer from the cutting of diplomatic ties. I advise the Saudi leaders to stop these subversive, hasty, illogical, emotional acts that are marked by mismanagement, said Jahangiri, according to a transcript provided by Iranian media outlet Press TV. He also counseled the Saudis to emulate Tehrans behavior and exercise restraint in the face of Saudi Arabias destructive regional policies. You too should learn this [kind of] behavior, he added. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari, in his weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday, accused the Saudi government of using the tensions to settle its domestic problems through blame games. Despite the ramped-up tensions between the two countries, observers did not expect hostilities to escalate to warfare between Saudi Arabia and Iran. I dont believe [Nimrs death] will be a make-or-break issue for open war, said Professor Joas Wagemakers, an expert on Sunni-Shiite relations at Utrecht University. Nimr was not openly connected nor overly loyal to Iran, and he did not believe an Islamic state along Iranian lines should be founded in Saudi Arabia, he added. Wagemakers added that the anger and frustration in Iran was based more on religious concerns, since Nimr represented Saudi Arabias Shiite minority, than political ones. Nimrs death is seen as that of a man who was killed for his principles and for his cause, Wagemakers said. He was a spokesman for the despised. Special correspondent Bulos reported from Dubai and Mostaghim from Tehran. ALSO Israel indicts Jewish extremists in deadly arson attack Video purports to show Islamic State fighters executing British spies Protesters storm Saudi embassy in Iran after execution of popular Shiite cleric The Obama administrations key Middle East initiatives ending Syrias civil war, combating Islamic State and implementing the Iranian nuclear deal could be undermined by the explosion of tensions between the regions two powerhouses, Saudi Arabia and Iran. A historically fraught rivalry between Sunni Muslim-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite Muslim Iran, previously fought mostly through proxies, now is more direct than ever and threatens to engulf the region in a new spiral of bitter confrontations, analysts said. In addition to igniting new rounds of vicious fighting in Syria and Yemen, where the two countries back opposing sides, the dispute could play into the hands of Islamic State by further stoking the sectarian conflict it relies on as its raison detre, the analysts warned. Advertisement The flare-up comes at an awkward time for the Obama administration. The United Nations Security Council could decide within weeks whether Iran is entitled to an easing of international sanctions, and a return to the global economy, under the controversial nuclear accord. Saudi Arabia took the drastic measure of cutting diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday after Shiites infuriated by the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia torched the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. The crisis widened Monday as Saudi allies Bahrain and Sudan also severed relations with Iran. The United Arab Emirates, a major trading partner with Iran, withdrew its ambassador but did not break diplomatic ties. This exceptional step has been taken in the light of Irans continuous interference in the internal affairs of gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels, the UAE said in a statement. Saudi Arabia also barred its citizens from traveling to Iran and suspended air traffic and other commercial relations, although it said Iranians would still be welcome to make the annual religious pilgrimage to Mecca, Islams holiest city. Iran must behave like a normal country and not a revolution, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said, according to Reuters. The Saudi kingdoms decision last week to execute an outspoken Shiite cleric and government critic, Sheik Nimr al-Nimr, along with 46 other dissidents and militants, apparently caught Washington by surprise. The Obama administration had worked hard to bring Saudi Arabia and Iran into nascent negotiations aimed at finding a political solution to the civil war in Syria. Iran has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Saudi Arabia is supporting some of the armed groups fighting to oust him. U.N.-backed peace talks are still expected to start this month, but the long-shot prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough now appear considerably dimmer. It was essential to bring Saudi Arabia and Iran together, and there was some progress, said Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. That is all sort of shot. This is going to complicate just about everything the administration is trying to do in the Middle East. Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, acknowledged Monday that the escalating conflict poses problems for U.S. efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the war in Syria. There will always be reasons ... to be reluctant to engage, Earnest said. But the White House is hopeful that wont happen, he said, because it is so clearly in the interest of both countries. The administration is urging both sides to de-escalate their conflict and not further inflame tensions, Earnest said. Secretary of State John F. Kerry spoke by phone Monday to his Iranian counterpart and was attempting similar contact with the Saudis, spokesman John Kirby said. Actions like this dont do anything to help stability in the region, Kirby said of the flare-up. He said the U.S. had raised concerns about the Saudi legal process that sanctioned the mass execution. The European Unions top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, also spoke to Iranian and Saudi leaders, warning that the security and stability of the whole region is at stake, her office said. Saudi Arabia and its gulf Arab allies view Iran with growing distrust and anger, and worry that the U.S.-led nuclear deal brokered in Vienna last summer will allow Iran to end its isolation without giving up its nuclear ambitions. Under the terms of the deal, if Iran gets rid of its enriched uranium stockpiles and dismantles or disables most of its nuclear infrastructure, it will gain access to more than $60 billion in frozen funds as early as this month, and be allowed to resume exports of oil on the open market. A more powerful Iran, combined with low prices for the oil that supports the Saudi economy, and the largely unsuccessful war Saudi Arabia is waging against what it claims are Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Yemen, has pushed the kingdom to act more aggressively. Saudi leaders did not publicly oppose the nuclear deal, but experts say they have lost confidence in the United States willingness to oppose what they consider Iranian aggression across the region. The Saudis have their own agenda, which they are carrying out without regard for what we say or do or need, said Aaron David Miller, a veteran U.S. diplomat in the Middle East who is now with the nonpartisan Wilson Center in Washington. Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said Saudi Arabia would suffer more from the cutting of diplomatic ties. I advise the Saudi leaders to stop these subversive, hasty, illogical, emotional acts that are marked by mismanagement, Jahangiri said during a news conference Monday in Tehran, according to the Iranian media outlet Press TV. Although the tensions were being ratcheted up at a brisk pace, several experts said they did not expect hostilities to escalate to open warfare. I dont believe [Al-Nimrs execution] will be a make or break issue for open war, said Joas Wagemakers, an expert on Sunni-Shiite relations at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Nimr was not openly connected nor overly loyal to Iran, and he did not believe an Islamic state along Iranian lines should be founded in Saudi Arabia. Still, Al-Nimr will be viewed as a martyr for religious Shiites and would probably become a galvanizing figure for opposition to the Saudi government, Wagemakers said. Times staff writer Wilkinson reported from Washington and special correspondent Bulos from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Staff writer Christi Parsons in Washington and special correspondent Ramin Mostaghim in Tehran contributed to this report. Twitter: @TracyKWilkinson ALSO Furor over racist tweet lays bare South Africas persistent divide A cry for help in Indias Bihar state: We need a toilet desperately To fight the worlds worst air pollution, New Delhi forces cars off the roads The US Border Patrol has arrested 31 illegal immigrants hiding out in a Texas apartment. Authorities said that those who were arrested were primarily from Central America who had crossed the border illegally. In a report with Fox News Latino, Border Patrol agents reported on Wednesday that those immigrants that they have arrested were mostly from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. The report also said that the Border Patrol authorities have also arrested a Mexican woman who they said was the caretaker of the apartment. There has been a reported surge in Central American immigrants who have fled their home countries in order to escape poverty and widespread gang-violence particularly in El Salvador and Honduras. These regions have also been severely plagued by drought. Many of these immigrants have brought their families with them, in hopes of starting a new life in the United States. In a separate incident, Border Patrol agents have also apprehended 10 undocumented immigrants who were hidden behind a fake wall inside a commercial truck at a checkpoint in Falfurrias. Agents have also arrested the driver, who was not identified. The Wall Street Journal reported that starting early this month, Central American immigrants will be the target of a series of raids in order to staunch the influx of illegal migrants to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security is planning to deport Central American families who have evaded removal orders. This move has caused controversy in DHS Secretary, Jeh Johnson's agency. According to the official, many of those who have worked within the DHS have opposed to targeting people who have fled violence in their respective home countries. However, Johnson said that the raid's goal would be two-fold: They hope to send the message to those who wish to cross the border illegally that they will not be allowed to remain in the country. The agency also wishes to address safety controls involving human trafficking. The Obama administration has prepared for an influx of unaccompanied children and families from Central America in the coming months. Earlier in December, the Obama administration began to add capacity to handle the surge, since migrants are being housed by the government on a temporary basis. The publication reported that more than 12,000 individuals in these family units were arrested at the border between the months of October and November. This was a far cry from about 4,500 in the same months last year. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The new conservative government of Argentina announced on Sunday that it will maintain its claim over the Falkland Islands, locking the country in dispute with Britain. "Argentina renews its firm commitment to peacefully settling its differences, to international law and multilateralism, the foreign ministry under the country's new president, Mauricio Macri," according to a statement quoted in Yahoo! News' report from AFP. For two months, Argentina and Britain warred over the rocky archipelago in 1982, the news outlet further reported. The battle killed 649 Argentine servicemen and 225 British. Decades after the Falklands War, both nations are still in a diplomatic dispute over the area's ownership. Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, "invites the United Kingdom to resume as soon as possible negotiations aimed at settling fairly and definitively, the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas (Falklands) islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich islands and surrounding territorial seas," according to the statement, as reported by Yahoo! News. Macri's country maintained its stand that Argentina inherited the Falklands from Spain when it acquired independence, Yahoo! News added. Britain, on the other hand, claimed that it has historically ruled the archipelago and that the residents of the island should have the right to self-determination. Margaret Thatcher Stopped Argentina from Buying Modern War Weapons in Falklands War Aftermath Newly released government files revealed that Margaret Thatcher prevented Germany and Italy from selling missiles and torpedoes to Argentina after the Falklands War. Express.co.uk reported that in 1986, a confidential document from the Foreign Office urged Thatcher, Britain's prime minister at the time, to write to German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and request for reassurance not to sell weapons to Argentina. As quoted by Express.co.uk, the document read: "The background is that Kohl gave the prime minister last year an assurance that the federal government would not permit the export to Argentina of AEG-Telefunken surface and underwater target (SUT) torpedoes while conditions in the South Atlantic remained unsettled." The document also stated that the Foreign Office "have been seeking a similarly clear assurance from the Italians in respect of the comparable torpedoes" manufactured by Italy's Whitehead Moto Fides, the news outlet noted. In a letter drafted by Thatcher addressed to Kohl, she said that there had been "little constructive response" from Argentina when it came to Britain's initiatives to normalizing relations, adding that the South American country's continued attempts to acquire modern arms is an indication that "it has not formally declared a cessation of hostilities," Express.co.uk reported. Thatcher's diplomatic force seemed to have proved successful, given that no German or Italian weapons were sold to Argentina back then, Express.co.uk wrote. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The government of Honduras confirmed that the United States has sent a request to extradite a former vice president, who has been accused of participating in money laundering activities. Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales said in a Reuters report that the extradition request for 80-year-old Jaime Rosenthal was received before Christmas and noted that the courts will be the ones to decide if it will be granted or not. Appeal Democtrat noted that the request will be given to Honduras' Supreme Court on Tuesday. Last year, the wealthy Rosenthal family was accused of using their Grupo Continental corporation to run money laundering networks in Central America, Reuters mentioned. It added that some of the members of the family have already been arrested for the charges, like Rosenthal's nephew Yankel, who also served as a minister of investment under the leadership of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. Rosenthal's son, Yani Rosenthal, and lawyer Andres Acosta Garcia have also been charged with concealing drug trafficking and foreign bribery proceeds using bank accounts in the United States. The entire family has denied the allegations against them. In an earlier statement, Rosenthal told Tico Times that they are confident that they will be cleared of the charges. "We are sure that we will prevail in the trial because the accusations are false. We will fight very hard. And we hope the truth prevails with the help of God," he said. Corrales mentioned with Appeal Democrat that the request for extradition is a bad news for their country. "It's not a day of joy for Honduras, it's not even close to a day of joy for the Rosenthal family, we all regret and would prefer that it did not happen, but the extradition request is in," the foreign minister said in The Guardian report. He added that the aging businessman, who served as vice president from 1986 to 1989, is already weak because of a serious illness. Corrales claimed that legal process is already underway for the charges against Rosenthal. Meanwhile, Fox News Latino noted that the former Honduran leader could not be extradited until the investigation of his activities in his home country is completed, as per defense lawyer Marlon Duarte. The legal counsel explained that as long as proceedings against him are pending, the extradition cannot commence. The accused is expected to show up in court on Wednesday during a preliminary hearing, where he is set to give his side on the charges of tax fraud and forgery filed against him. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Lawmakers in Uruguay have approved a bill which will provide a more than $800 million aid package for the debt-burned Ancap, the state owned oil company and the country's largest corporation. An Associated Press report published by US News mentioned that Uruguay's congress has decided to write off the company's debt amounting to $622 million and enabled a $250 million credit for the company provided by a regional development agency. The said aid package has already been approved by the Senate to help the company recover. Ancap, which is considered to be the major importer of oil in Uruguay and also has businesses in alcoholic beverages, cement and prefumes, has acquired losses amounting to about $170 million, mostly blamed on former President Jose Mujica's administration. However, Mujica has defended himself and put the blame on the decisions made by Economy Minister Danilo Astori and his officials, as per the Associated Press. Aside from this, the company's board has also blamed the fluctuations in the value of the Uruguayan currency and investment spending from 2010 to 2014 as other factors that led them to their debt-ridden state, Latino FoxNews said. The same report noted that the legislation will now be forwarded to President Tabare Vazquez for promulgation. According to Buenos Aires Herald, the bailout plan for Ancap is aimed at improving the equity situation of the company. It noted that current estimates reveal that Ancap's debt has reached more than $800 million. Despite this fiscal crisis, the government has assured the managers of the company that they will be able to keep their jobs. It, however, noted that Ancap executives will be closely working with a team from the Economy and Finance ministry and the Planning and Budget office. Meanwhile, El Pais reported that the bailout for the oil company was approved in the Senate, despite accusations of "concealment, corruption and ineptitude." Senator Ope Pasquet mentioned in the same report that the senators decided to take action on the situation of the company, since the losses in 2014 were double compared to the 2013 figures. He also noted that the Ancap situation is also happening "with many other public companies which we found out through investigating committees." An earlier Reuters report revealed that the deficit of the company last year was at $324 million, but this number is expected to reduce to $200 million for 2016 with the help of the bailout plan the country made for Ancap. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Frustrations in the Colombian government continue to grow as its top soldiers are being recruited by the Middle East as mercenaries. Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas said that Colombian soldiers are still needed in combat against drug traffickers and insurgents in the South American country, Bloomberg reported. Villegas also added that Saudi Arabia refused to discuss a treaty. According to a former army officer with knowledge of recruiting contractors and a senior government official, a Saudi-led coalition battling in Yemen against Shiite Houthi rebels has deployed Colombian contractors, Bloomberg wrote. Soldiers are convinced to quit Colombia's army upon the termination of their enlistment with promises of wages seven times higher in the Middle East, the former officer added, who requested not to be named because he isn't allowed to publicly discuss the subject. The ex-army officer revealed that an experienced Colombian soldier can get paid $90 per day in the Middle East, compared with around $375 per month in their homeland's regular army, Bloomberg further reported. Those who have officer rank and can speak English can earn $250 per day. The former army officer also estimated that there are roughly 2,000 Colombians working as mercenaries in the United Arab Emirates, or U.A.E., adding that around 200 fighters are being sent to Yemen for tasks such as guarding bases. The troops haven't yet been deployed in combat. Villegas said in a Dec. 22 interview in the capital, Bogota, that Colombia's attempts at negotiating with Middle East governments have been futile. "My complaint is why, for instance, the U.A.E. or Saudi Arabia have not been able to negotiate a treaty with Colombia to regulate that relationship," Villegas said, as quoted in Bloomberg's report. "Every time we approach those governments, the answer is no, we're not interested in a treaty." With a treaty in place, Colombia could temporarily send instructors to the Middle East. This would be a preferred option than the current situation, whereby "someone in the underground of Bogota tries to reach our armed forces to see how 20 of our special forces can go undercover to the Middle East," he said, according to the news outlet. When asked whether Colombia could solve the problem by giving higher wages to its soldiers, Villegas said, "I can't compete with Abu Dhabi," Bloomberg noted. Colombian servicemen are deemed as one of the world's best fighters, Bloomberg added. Troops have fought in jungles and mountains for five decades against a guerilla insurgency. In an October operation, special forces hunted and killed Victor Ramon Navarro, also known as Megateo, a cocaine trafficker with a private army who controlled a mountainous area bordering Venezuela. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Health authorities in Puerto Rico reported the nation's first confirmed case of the mosquito-borne virus, known as Zika. In a statement, Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi was informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the confirmed case of Zika on the island. "I wanted to inform the public that my office just spoke with officials from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who advised us that the first locally-transmitted case of Zika virus has been confirmed in Puerto Rico," his statement read. Actions to be taken by the Puerto Rican authorities, as well as the CDC, were also revealed in the statement, dated December 31, 2015. "I expect that the CDC will issue a public advisory later this afternoon, and the Puerto Rico Department of Health will hold a press conference to explain Zika and its potential symptoms. I also expect that CDC experts will travel to Puerto Rico in early January to educate local physicians on Zika, so they can properly diagnose and treat the virus," it read. Pierluisi assured the public that there is no reason for alarm and called for precautionary measures to be made against the virus, which is known to be transmitted by a certain species of mosquito. Since its source is similar to dengue fever and chikungunya, prevention of the spread of the Zika virus entails using mosquito repellents and wearing clothing that covers exposed skin, particularly in the extremities. So far, there is no vaccine tested and approved to prevent the virus, but the public is advised to learn about its signs and symptoms, which include fever, joint pain, rash, and conjunctivitis or red eyes. The official website of the CDC also listed other symptoms of the virus, like muscle pain, headache, pain behind the eyes and vomiting. Symptoms are usually mild with a very small chance of getting so severe that it would require hospitalization. Official records of the CDC also revealed that only one out of five patients who caught the Zika virus had become ill. No deaths involving the virus have been recorded yet. Treatments for those who catch Zika include rehydration, rest and taking medication for the symptoms, such as acetaminophen or paracetamol for a fever and body pain. According to CNN, the Zika virus has been linked to over 2,400 cases of the severe neurological disorder known as microcephaly among newborns. Cases of this were recorded in Brazil in early 2015, where babies were born with abnormally small heads, which often led to severe medical conditions and even early death. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Washington is laying out U.S. President Barack Obama's overseas trips for 2016, and there is a good chance Cuba will be part of it, says national security adviser Ben Rhodes. On Saturday, Rhodes revealed how the American president plans on cementing relations between the U.S. and Cuba by making the trip to the Latin American country, News Max reported. "The key test for us is whether the president's going to Cuba would help advance those priorities. That's something I think we'll make a decision about ... in the next couple months," he explained to the press in Hawaii, where Obama is on vacation. According to News Max, such visit would be monumental to the warming relations between U.S. and Cuba, since it would make the opening of the latter to the former "irreversible." The Los Angeles Times echoes this opinion, deeming "the normalization of relations with Cuba" to be "of symbolic significance to the Obama administration." "It represents not only a historic opportunity to end a lingering remnant of the Cold War but also the chance to push for an affirmative change rather than simply respond to crises in the Middle East," the report added. Rhodes further explained that steps are being taken by both Cuba and the U.S. to make such a goal a reality, Bloomberg reported. "On the Cuban side, there are steps they could take over the course of the year that could allow them to absorb greater economic activity," he stated, adding that Cuban President Raul Castro, to some degree, wants to revolutionize the country. He also emphasized "the key test" to the matter, which is whether or not such visit would improve the lives of the Cuban people. "I think they have made a decision that they want this to happen," he said, noting that Cuba appears to see the possibility of change that is "consistent with their revolution" up to a certain degree. Aside from Cuba, the President of the United States (POTUS) is also expected to visit several other countries in the Latin American, as well as in Asia and Europe. "Obama plans to travel to China and Laos and host Southeast Asian leaders at a summit in California as part of his effort to turn American attention toward Asia," the Los Angeles Times reported. The outlet further explained how the POTUS plans to roll out his foreign policy legacy before his final year in office is up. "By far, the overarching foreign policy challenge of the new year will be the fight against the terrorist organization Islamic State and its efforts to inspire attacks against Western targets," the report read. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The expansion of Panama's century-old canal is now set to be completed around the month of May. Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela announced the news on Saturday in an address to the nation, Yahoo! News reported from AFP. The canal's construction has suffered costly overruns and major delays in the past. In his speech, Varela also urged the Spain-led contractor, Grupo Unidos por el Canal de Panama, behind the project to hand over legal disputes to the "competent authorities" and focus on the waterway's completion, Yahoo! News added. The president's appeal came after a Dispute Adjudication Board hearing, where a budget overrun disagreement ordered the state's Panama Canal Authority to pay $17 million to the group for additional labor costs and for a workers strike. "With respect, I am calling on the contractors for the expansion project to hold dialogue with the Panama Canal Authority, to allow work to be completed, to leave legal disputes in the hands of the competent authorities and to avoid mediatized differences that in no way help the image of the contractors, the Canal Authority and the Republic of Panama," Varela remarked, as quoted by the news outlet. The contractor began the expansion work on the waterway in 2007, Yahoo! News noted. The extensions were initially intended to be completed in October 2014 but were then delayed to April 2016. Varela's announcement signified that construction is once again pushed back; this time to May 2016. This indicated that the project is well behind schedule. The construction on the canal is projected to increase its capacity for up to three times, Yahoo! News further reported. Expenses are expected to reach up to $5.3 billion, but that cost has been hugely exceeded. In addition, Varela said it was "imperative" to begin a study on the development of a river basin that will provide water supplies for human use and for the canal's function, the news outlet noted. The Panama Canal expansion will allow huge new ships to pass through the trade route, and could move the flow of goods and products from the United States West Coast to the East Coast, the Globe and Mail wrote. The canal's expanded route will also give a chance to ports along the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts to compete with their West Coast rivals for vessel traffic, the Globe and Mail reported. For the ship owners and their customers, they will have access to a cheaper -- although slower -- path to arrive at markets in the largely populated eastern half of the U.S. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Colombia FARC rebels said on Sunday that Hector Albeidis Arboleda Buitrago, who is being accused of allegedly performing "forced abortions" on the guerillas, was never part of their group. They emphasized that these abortion policies are counter to their "principles." In a report with Fox News Latino, the FARC rebel group issued an official statement on the controversy, which was signed by the "FARC-EP Joint Chiefs of Staff Secretariat." The official statement said that FARC does not have the policy of forcing abortions on their pregnant guerillas. Arboleda, who is also known in Colombia as "The Nurse," was arrested in Madrid in December. He was released after the country took precautionary measures. Arboleda is also wanted by Interpol on counts of "aggravated torture, non-consensual abortion and criminal conspiracy." FARC insisted that the accusations of the forced abortions were "ridiculous." They added that the entire controversy was just a "judicial and media set up." They also added that such claims made by the Colombian government that the FARC rebels "rape and use women" are false and shameful. In a report with BBC, Attorney General Eduardo Montealegre said that the female rebels were forced to have to abortions to make sure that they do not lose their ability to fight. Montealegre insisted that they had proof that many women rebels were forced to have abortions in the past, so as to not lose them as "an instrument of war." This is not the first time that FARC has denied these claims. The rebel group insisted that contraception was always "readily available." One woman claimed in the report with BBC that she was forced to have five abortions. The rebel, who remained unidentified, told the publication that women rebels were not allowed to have children and that those who were allowed to give birth were considered "lucky." The Colombian government and FARC delegates said that they are hoping to sign a final peace agreement in March 2016. The peace talks have seen significant progress since it began in November 2012. It was reported by the BBC that Colombia's FARC rebels said that the pending peace process talks are "extensive, complex and delicate." They added that they should not be subjected to "pressures and immovable deadlines." President Juan Manuel Santos insisted on the March 2016 deadline. More than 220,000 people have been killed in the conflict that has spanned more than five decades. A good majority of these people are civilians. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It is already the start of the year and already there are the latest rumors on Samsung's upcoming flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S7. Teaser images have revealed what appears to be the Samsung Galaxy S7's front panel and it is indeed something to write home about. According to a report with Phone Arena, compared to the front panels of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, there is a significant difference in the front panels of the Samsung Galaxy S7. The new teaser image appears to have some of the sensors on the front of the Samsung Galaxy S7 on the left side. The screen also appears to be bigger than that of the Samsung Galaxy S6. The new phone's corners are notably more squared-off in form. The bezels are also slightly thinner, but the home button seems to have remained the same size. According to the website, the Samsung Galaxy S7 said that Samsung's upcoming flagship very much resembles a smaller version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. According to The Verge, it is widely expected that Samsung will unveil its Galaxy S7 in February during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. That means that the rumors and speculations are starting to float about the internet. According to the website, the standard S7 would have a flat 5.2-inch screen, while the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge variant would have a 5.5-inch curved display. Samsung's current offerings uses a 5.1-inch screen in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and a 5.7-inch screen in the S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5. The phone is also reported to sport a 12.2-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. While this would mean that there will be a drop in megapixel count from the S6, which has a 16-megapixel sensor, it is also possible that the flagship will make it up with it's a higher-quality sensor equipped with larger pixels that perform better in the dark. The Samsung Galaxy S7 is also said to be packed with 4GB of RAM and it's all powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 chip. There are also rumors that Samsung will most likely release these flagships this year and will focus more on "budget lines" throughout the course of the year. Other features of the upcoming flagship include that the device will have a pressure-sensitive screen, a USB Type-C port and, quite possibly, a retina scanner. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A town in Paraguay has turned into an island due to excessive flooding brought on by the El Nino weather phenomenon. Officials dread that the town of Alberdi is on the brink of being completely submerged that will lead to thousands of casualties, teleSUR reported. The town is currently only accessible via boat or airplanes. Alberdi is located 130 km south of the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion and has a population of 10,000, teleSUR noted. On Saturday, residents reportedly refused to evacuate despite of pressing warnings from authorities that flood defenses were threatening to collapse. "The retaining wall is leaking. Water is coming through in gushes and according to our experts the risk level that it will explode and opens up like a tsunami is great," Paraguay's National Emergency Minister Joaquin Roa said, as quoted in the news outlet's report. Alberdi's flat and low geography made the town defenseless to the growing floods, teleSUR added. The flood defense wall, which was constructed in 1983, had been protecting the area from disaster until recently. However, experts said that the construction is no match for El Nino. "The residents of Alberdi do not want to believe that the wall could come down. The speed of the water is impressive. Added to that is the surge of the big cargo ships, the barges with containers that ceaselessly plough through the main canal of the river. All of this is unsettling the defense," said Alberdi Mayor Federico Centurion, as quoted by teleSUR. He continued, "If the wall breaks in the night there is going to be tragedy." 50 families have been advised to evacuate, but they are not heeding warnings. The town is among the casualties of El Nino, the weather phenomenon that has caused heavy downpours over South America since November, the news outlet further reported. Around 170,000 people in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay have lost their homes and properties as the rivers of Paraguay, Parana, Iguazu, Uruguay, and other streams surged. Those who were affected greatly by the catastrophe have belonged to the poorest individuals in the region. At least 10 deaths due to the floods across the area have been reported, teleSUR added. Numbers are expected to climb as mudslides and rivers rising by over eight meters continued to threaten the region during the holidays. Paraguay and Uruguay have both declared state of emergencies, according to Yahoo! News. Argentine President Mauricio Macri assured that 66 percent of the reconstruction aid will go to areas where 20,000 people were evacuated due to the severe flooding in the region, Fox News Latino reported. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Venezuela has halted natural gas exports to neighboring country, Colombia. According to CNBC, the Venezuelan state oil company is halting gas exports across the border to Colombia due to climate factors, as well as the need to generate electricity. The Colombian Mining Ministry reported on Friday that Petroleos de Venezuela or PDVSA was notified that their supplies will be suspended because of "the behavior of electrical energy generation due to climatic variability." In other words, the current drought has been affecting the region. Reuters said that the El Nino weather phenomena has already caused drought and water shortages across Colombia and around 70 percent of the country's energy has been supplied hydroelectrically. CNBC noted that the US Energy Information Administration has previously said that Venezuela's enormous natural gas reserves come second only the the US in the Americas. However, it has been consuming more of the said gases than it has been producing, which is becoming a problem. On top of that, the country has also been trying to upgrade their infrastructures. In terms of investments, Venezuela's development of the said fields has also been slow, despite their vast reserves in the Caribbean. This is due in part to the concerns of foreign firms about the unfavorable prices offered by the PDVSA. Colombia and Venezuela have been in agreement since 2007 that the latter will send 39 million cubic feet of gas per day to the former, amounting to about three percent of Colombia's supply. Other than that, the EIA noted that part of the gas is also used to generate power, while about 35 percent is used by the petroleum industry to help production of mature fields. Before this year, Colombia has been a key supplier of gas to Venezuela. This is because in 2007, South American countries inaugurated a 140-mile natural gas pipeline that could transport up to 150 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Their agreement outlined Venezuela to import gas from Colombia for four to seven years, and will then reverse the flow in order for Venezuela to export gas with new projects that come online. Venezuala has previously announced its intent to cut ties with gas imports with its neighbor. In June 2015, the PDVSA said that it will not renew its contract to import gas from Colombia and will instead tap local production to supply its region. Even then, the drought has always been a problem, with Colombia announcing that it reduced gas exports to Venezuela to ensure they will have enough fuel to run its own power plants. 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Uruguay Floods Endanger 24,000 Lives; Bacteria & Other Factors can put Health at Risk media@latinoshealth.com By Czarmecin Jan 04, 2016 06:00 AM EST On Saturday, the National Emergency System or Sinae reported that the number of displaced persons in Uruguay following the flood that struck four provinces has risen to 23, 571. About 24,000 people have to leave their homes. Previous reports stated that 2,322 were evacuated and 21,249 abandoned their homes by their own means. Per Fox News, of the 23,571 displaced persons, 11,002 are in Artigas province, 6,708 in Paysandu, 57 in Rio Negro province and 5,804 in Salto. The heavy downpours since December caused the Uruguay River to overflow and its tributaries, such as Cuareim, which is close to the city of Artigas. The incident forced the authorities to declare a state of emergency last month in the province of Artigas, Paysandu, Rivera and Salto, teleSUR reported. In the Bella Union, the Uruguay River level is two meters above the freeboard, which is 6.5 meters. Currently, it is at 8.7 meters. While in Paysandu, the river flows at 9.1 meters when it normally flows at around 5.5 meters. Evacuees are stationed in numerous campsites where the army supports and provides for them. Sinae announced that once the river levels are back to normal residents can return to their home without risk after cleaning and disinfection of the affected areas have been carried out. However, they warned, "the excessive demands on the healthcare system and the presence of bacteria are other factors that put the health of the population at risk." Irish Times reported that flooding might pose a variety of health risks from minor to life threatening and immediate to long-term. These health risks are more widespread and serious in developing countries where flooding can rise to epidemics as well as promoting vector-borne diseases such as malaria. The level of bacteria and other toxins is likely due to low dilution but it still poses a risk to one's health and safety. In fact, HSE is advising people to avoid floodwaters if possible. When it is absolutely necessary to enter a contaminated area, people are advised to wear protective clothing such as rubber boots and waterproof clothes. The floods have been attributed by climate experts to El Nino weather phenomenon, which has flooded several other South American countries including Paraguay and Brazil. However, according to Hindustantimes, the El Nino phenomenon is not yet done and may cause more damage in the coming months. "There is a greater than 90% chance that El Nino will continue through Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, and around an 85% chance it will last till early spring 2016," a Climate Prediction Centre bulletin released in September said. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! FARC Denies 'Abortion Controversy'; Says 'Counters Their Principles' media@latinoshealth.com By Staff Reporter Jan 04, 2016 06:13 AM EST Colombian FARC rebels are denying that Hector Albeidis Arboleda Buitrago, who is being accused for performing forced abortions on guerrillas, is part of their group, and that they do not have abortion policies that counter their "principles," FOX News reports. The rebel group denies any regulations saying that pregnant guerrillas must have abortions. Arboleda, who is believed to have performed such abortions, was arrested in Madrid in December but was released following precautionary measures were undertaken. He is wanted by the Interpol for "aggravated torture, non-consensual abortion and criminal conspiracy." According to the FARC, the controversy surrounding their group and Arboleda is a "judicial and media set up" and that the abortion accusations are "false and shameful." The group denies that FARC "rapes women or uses the bodies of guerrillas who have fallen in combat to give anatomy classes." The 40-year-old Arboleda is currently being investigated by the Colombian authorities for reports stating that he carried out hundreds of forced abortions between 1998 and 2000. BBC reports that the FARC is the oldest and largest group among Colombia's left-wing rebels and is one of the world's wealthiest guerrilla armies. Founded in 1984, the group declared its intention to overthrow the government and install a Marxist regime during the 80s. FARC had about 16,000 fighters in 2001, but the number was reduced to 8,000 due to desertations. Their leader, Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda, passed away in 2008 from a heart attack and in 2010, the group's top military leader, Jorge Briceno was killed in a raid in Macarena. Meanwhile, Alfonso Cano, the leader who took over from Marulanda, was killed in a bombing in a ground raide in Cauca in 2011. FARC is now led by Rodrigo Londono, known as Timochenko. CNN reported in late December that Colombian President President Juan Manuel Santos is set to visit President Obama at the White House in February, shortly before what is believed to be a historic peace agreement between Bogota and the FARC. President Obama and President Santos are set to meet on Feb. 4, during which they will commemorate the launching of Plan Colombia, a U.S.-led effort that has provided $10 billion in assistance to Colombia's government and security forces since 2000. CNN reports that Santos plans to carry out a potential peace deal with FARC to a national referendum. The Colombian government has a deadline of March 23 for the deal. According to the White House, the U.S. supports the peace process between the Colombian government and FARC. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! Zika Virus Now in Puerto Rico; 5 Things To Know About This Mosquito-Borne Virus media@latinoshealth.com By Mai Peralta Jan 04, 2016 05:30 AM EST The mosquito-borne Zika virus is reportedly now affecting Puerto Rico, according to the country's health officials. Here are some facts you need to know about this disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 warning to travelers going to Puerto Rico and other affected nations. There is currently no medication or vaccine that can prevent Zika virus infection so the CDC recommends travelers to take measures to prevent mosquito bites. This was seconded by Puerto Rican Congressman Pedro Pierluisi during a statement he released on Thursday. "I wanted to inform the public that my office just spoke with officials from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who advised us that the first locally transmitted case of Zika virus has been confirmed in Puerto Rico. Like chikungunya and dengue, Zika is transmitted by certain types of mosquitoes" said Pierluisi in a press release. "There is no reason for alarm, and the public should continue to take common-sense steps to avoid mosquito bites, like using repellent and wearing long pants and shirts." He adds that CDC experts will be visiting the country in January to "educate local physicians" about the virus and disease. Here are some facts you need to know about the disease: 1.) Zika is a mosquito-borne virus This means that you get this disease if you are bitten by an infected mosquito. According to the CDC, the disease is mild and it can last from several days to a week. The Zika virus is linked to a number of Brazilian babies born with ver small heads. According to Fox News, the condition was blamed on the surge of the Zika epidemic in the country where pregnant women may have been bitten. 2.) It is caused by the Aedes mosquito According to CNN, the mosquito carrying the Zika virus is the same one that can carry dengue fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever. 3.) The symptoms are mild The symptoms can show up three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include rash, fever, joint pain, and red eyes. It can also cause muscle pain, vomiting, and pain behind the eyes. 4.) There is no cure or vaccine There is currently no vaccine or cure for the virus and the only way to prevent it from spreading is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. However, the disease is mild and severe cases are uncommon. 5.) Zika virus can become a global epidemic because of global travel According to CNN's report, health experts say that the virus could be spread across the world via travelers or backpackers. The virus has appeared in Africa, Asia, Pacific Islands and the Americas, CDC reports. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! What is 'Affluenza' and are Parents to Blame for This Condition? staff@latinoshealth.com By Monica Antonio Jan 04, 2016 06:00 AM EST In June 2013, Ethan Couch, son of millionaire parents Fred and Tonya Couch, was driving 70 miles per hour in a 45 zone in Forth Worth, Texas under the influence of alcohol. Ethan crashed his pickup truck into a disabled SUV, killing four lives. However, to the public's surprise, Ethan's camp claimed that he could not be held accountable for the murders, because he, basically, is a spoiled brat, the New York Post reports. What is Affluenza? Affluenza, according to the Associated Press, is the term used by the shrink who testified during Ethan's trial. The expert, in defense of Ethan, said that affluenza is a condition where wealthy parents "coddled and pampered" their kid to the point that they had "no sense of right and wrong." In Ethan's case, his millionaire parents did not teach him any sense of responsibility for the results of his action. Because of this argument, the judge let Ethan slip with 10 years' probation, which appalled most of the public. However, despite the claims of Ethan's camp, the outlet said that the American Psychiatric Association has never recognized affluenza as a medical or mental condition. According to forensic psychiatrist and clinical professor Dr. Jeffrey Metzner, affluenza can be closely identified to a similar disorder, narcissism, but the U.S. law does not consider the latter as a legal defense. Affluenza was popularized in Jessie O'Neills book "The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence," where it was described as a condition of children from rich families having a sense of entitlement, no responsibility for their wrongdoings, and, in some cases, using drugs and alcohol, the publication stated. Are the Parents to Blame? Naomi Schaefer Riley of the New York Post describes Ethan as "a symbol of an era when parents lost their backbone." Riley notes that in 2006 when Ethan's parents divorced, his mother Tonya tagged his son as her "protector." Tonya even moved Ethan's bed into her bedroom as to prove the point that Ethan was her equal and protector. According to Riley, being lonely does not mean that you have to sacrifice your kids childhood. Parents should always be the protector. Riley even added that Ethan's parents are a clear example of "spineless helicopter parenting" that gives emphasis in protecting their child's sensibility whatever the cost. As a result, these kids become unprepared to face the challenges and circumstances of the real world. Ethan, who has been tagged as "Affluenza Boy," recently made headlines when her mother let her skip a trial proceeding and fled him to Mexico after a video of him drinking under probation surfaced. Tonya is currently detained in Los Angeles for "hindering apprehension of a felon," per the Huffington Post. Should parents be blamed for their children having affluenza? Share your thoughts below. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! Cancer Drug Discovery Database Goes 3D; Check out the Latest in Cancer Treatment Here! media@latinoshealth.com By Staff Writer Jan 04, 2016 06:18 AM EST The biggest cancer drug discovery database has been rendered in 3D which allows scientists to more effectively design life-saving cancer treatments, according to a study. The canSAR database has been updated and scientists working in the UK and all around the world will be able to use it more efficiently by being able to design new cancer treatments better with the help of "3D structures of faulty proteins and maps of cancer's communication networks," according to a press release posted in EurekAlert. The canSAR database is developed at The Institute of Cancer Research London by Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit researchers. It was launched in 2011 and is growing and free to use for researchers world wide. The updated database now has 3D structures of millions of cavities on the surface of more than 100,000 molecules. "Our database is constantly growing with information and is the largest of its kind - with more than 140,000 users from over 175 countries. And we regularly develop new artificial intelligence technologies that help scientists make predictions and design experiments," said Dr. Bissan Al-Lazikani, lead researcher of the team that developed the database. "Our aim is that cancer scientists will be armed with the data they need to carry out life-saving research into the most exciting drugs of the future. "Scientists need to find all the information there is about a faulty gene or protein to understand whether a new drug might work. These data are vast and scattered, but the canSAR database brings them together and adds value by identifying hidden links and presenting the key information easily," he explained, via Cancer Research UK. Another expert added that the canSAR database can cut costs and expedite the processes in drug discovery. This can lead to potentially saving more lives because the advances can help bring life-saving therapies to patients faster. In another news, resistant lung cancer with mutations in gene known as KRAS can be eraducated through triple cancer therapy by involving two cancer drugs and radiation therapy. The study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research also states that researchers may also identify non-small cell lung cancer patients (deemed the most common type of lung cancer) who can benefit from the experimental triple therapy. According to the report by Business Standard, the therapy is under clinical trial and the cancer drugs were originally made for melanoma cancer and those with solid tumors, said lead researcher Bo Lu, professor at Thomas Jefferson University. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! Flu Cases by State Dwindled Last Year but CDC Still Recommends Annual Vaccination media@latinoshealth.com By Staff Reporter Jan 04, 2016 06:27 AM EST The number of reported Flu cases in different parts of the U.S. have been reduced so far as compared to last year. For instance, the local hospital emergency room and urgent care in Sampson Regional Medical Center in North Carolina have seen a decreased number in cases of the flu for the previous month, as compared to the same period in 2014, according to the Sampson Independent. "We have seen a drastic decrease in positive flu tests from last year," said Jill Cairney, marketing specialist at the hospital. "Last year we saw around 412 cases for the weeks in December and this year, thus far, we have seen six." According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu activity in South Carolina is currently high, while it is still moderate in Arizona, Mississippi and Texas. In the rest of the country, the flu rates are still low, reported NewsMax. But, the North Carolina state Department of Health and Human Services through one of its epidemiologist Zack Moore warned that, although, there is a slow start this season, it does not mean that it won't pick up, especially during its usual peak period in January and February. The CDC said that the timing of the flu is often unpredictable and could vary from different regions in the U.S. They noted that the flu season usually starts in early October and lasts up to the month of May. For the current season, it has officially started on Oct. 4, 2015 and CDC predicts that it could last until May 28, 2016. The peak period are typically during the months of December to February. "Nationally, it's been a slow start to this season," Sara Lopez, a registered nurse at Summit County Public Health, recently explained in a county forum. "Typically, we'll see the peak in February, but we just don't know," wrote the Summit Daily. Nonetheless, the health officials from CDC is still encouraging people aged 6 months and older to undergo annual flu vaccination. This is important in order to maintain what they referred to as herd immunity against flu, which means enough people are vaccinated so that if one person gets sick, the disease can't spread, according to Stltoday.com. Herd immunity can be achieved if there would be about 80 percent of the members in the population who will have immunity. Currently, the flu vaccination rates are 67 percent for adults 65 and older, 47 percent for people 50 to 64, 34 percent for those 18 to 49, and 59 percent for kids 17 and under, according to the CDC. Subscribe to the latinos health newsletter! Bullying has negative effects on children and adolescents. Those who suffered from bullying might not only be emotionally withdrawn but also experience difficulties in interacting with others. As a matter of fact, they are also more likely to experience depression and anxiety, as well as feelings of sadness and loneliness. However, a new Canadian study suggested that bullying during teenage years may also lead to health problems in later life. The study, which is published at the Journal of Adolescent Health, revealed that being physically and emotionally bullied as a teen was associated with health complaints in adulthood such as headaches, dizziness, backaches, insomnia, abdominal pain and poor body image. "Peer victimization puts adolescents at risk for immediate and long-term physical health difficulties. This study highlights the unique effects of physical and relational victimization and shows that victimized youth continue to experience poorer physical health for years after high school," the researchers concluded in the study. In order to arrive at this conclusion, the researchers followed 662 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years old. The participants were part of the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey which conducted six interviews between 2003 and 2014. According to the report by Reuters, in order to measure bullying, the researchers asked the participants questions such as how often they got pushed or shoved and how often do their peers spread lies about them. Moreover, to evaluate physical symptoms, the participants were asked about how often they experience problems such as headaches, dizziness and insomnia. The participants were also asked to rate the frequency of how they felt good and proud or uncomfortable about their body. Over the duration of the decade-long study, the researchers found that 29 to 52 percent of the boys and 20 to 29 of the girls experience physical bullying sometimes. Meanwhile, 28 to 67 percent of the boys and 37 to 54 percent of girls sometimes suffer from "emotional taunts." Roughly one to two percent of the participants were bullied all the time. The study also showed that the females reported more physical symptoms and poorer body image as compared to the males in the study. Moreover, physical symptoms were found to be linked to "emotional taunts" although the association between physical bullying and the health complaints were found to be less consistent over the course of the study. The researchers believed that this is the case since there were few instances of physical bullying. Although the study was limited with the fact that majority of the participants are white which limited the findings to those of a different race or ethnicity, the researchers firmly believed that the findings of the study are important in preventing bullying and providing treatment for the victims. 2015 Latinos Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Tags microbeads, cosmetic The U.S. government has finally made the first move to combat the microbeads. According to the report by Business Insider, U.S. President Barack Obama just signed into law a bill banning the production of personal care products such as soaps, toothpastes and body washes that contains the harmful ingredient, microbeads. The law, titled "Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015," prohibits the "manufacture and introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce" of rinse-off cosmetic products that contain purposely-added plastic microbeads. Through the law, microbeads will be phased out in consumer products in the next few years. The phase-out process will begin with a ban on manufacturing the microbeads on July 2017 followed by the ceasing of manufacturing and sales of products that contains the harmful ingredient by 2018 and 2019, respectively. As pointed by Beat the Microbead, an international campaign against microbeads in cosmetics, microbeads are tiny particles of plastics that have been used by cosmetic manufacturers as abrasives in facial and body products. Described as less than a millimeter in diameter, these microbeads are too small to filter, thereby letting it flow directly to the ocean. The site highlighted that these microbeads are eventually eaten or absorbed by sea creatures. Thus, it is highly possible that these tiny plastics can be transferred back to humans through the sea foods being consumed. Beat the Microbead also emphasized that these harmful ingredients are not biodegradable and are already impossible to remove when submerged in the marine environment. The Business Insider report also mentioned a release by the Wildlife Conservation Society saying that almost 19 tons of microbeads are washed down the drain every year in New York City alone. It also pointed a 2013 study which revealed that almost 1.7 million of tiny plastic particles per square kilometer were found in Lake Erie, a part of the Great Lakes region where many debris end up. "Microbeads are highly damaging to the natural environment and the wildlife that live there. Because natural alternatives already exist, a ban on their use in personal care products makes perfect sense," Wildlife Conservation Society said in a statement. Amid this banning of microbeads in U.S., the Independent also reported that there are now calls in the U.K. to take action regarding the use of the said ingredient. Beat the Microbead has compiled a list of products that likely contain microbeads. The said list can be accessed here. Do you know about the microbeads? What do you think of the banning of microbeads and the product that contain it? Let us know in the comments below. 2015 Latinos Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Most of the leading 2016 presidential candidates have weighed in on the hot-button issue of immigration this campaign season; however, their opinions vary widely on how and if the country needs to build a wall to secure its border. Leading Republican candidate Donald Trump has perhaps been the most vociferous on the issue, insisting he would not only erect a wall along a 2,000-mile stretch of land, but he would force Mexico to foot the bill for its construction. Many of his rivals have branded his pledge as impractical and unrealistic. Still, Trump continues to boast on his website, "There must be a wall across our southern border," The Associated Press reports. In addition, during an October GOP debate, he referenced the Great Wall of China in promoting his idea. He also reiterated his claim, "Mexico is going to pay for the wall." Previously, Trump boasted, if elected, he would move to deport some 11 million immigrants in less than two years. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has been almost as adamant as Trump in his support for a wall, but not nearly as forceful. On his website, Cruz pledges his support for the idea, though he offers no specifics on how he would make that happen. While insisting no candidate is better prepared than he is to tackle the issue of immigration, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has also been vague about supplying details of a plan. During the Republican debate in September, in response to a related question, he said, "We must secure our border, the physical border, with a wall, absolutely." One-time leading Republican candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush separated himself from the crowded GOP field by asserting he finds it unnecessary to build a massive border fence. "We don't need to build a wall," he recently told a group of Latino business owners. He added Trump's wall strategy is "not based in reality." On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton recently told supporters gathered at a New Hampshire town hall, "I voted numerous times when I was a senator to spend money to build a barrier to try to prevent illegal immigrants from coming in." She later apologized for her use of the term "illegal immigrants" and, as of late, has not indicated whether she still supports the idea. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders couldn't be clearer about where he stands on the matter. While stressing he understands the importance of securing the border, Sanders recently shared on his website he opposes building a fence to do so. The famed annual Philadelphia Mummers Parade, which was recently held on New Year's Day with hundreds of marchers in different costumes promoting the 116-year folk tradition, faced condemnation in some of the members' anti-gay acts and signage such as painting their faces brown depicting Mexicans. The annual Mummers Parade in Philadelphia made headlines for how the event reflected on certain groups like the LGBT community and Latin-American individuals. Many attendees mocked famous transsexuals like Caitlyn Jenner and depicted Mexicans with their faces painted brown, the Associated Press reported. However, despite the numerous insults and condemnation from the public, the organizers and the city's next mayor recently released a statement denying the allegations made against them. They urged that the event wasn't intended to harm certain groups as the folk parade was merely a parody. The parade also gained more attention when a certain individual, who was carrying a signage showing Caitlyn's photos, was caught on video shot by New York Daily News editor Nick Kurczewski showing a member of the Finnegan New Year's Brigade yelling "F--- the gays!" while marching along Broad Street, Philly reports. In the Mummers' Press Release, Finnegan New Year Brigade Mike Inemer shared the actions they made after the highly criticized video circulated online. "The Goodtimers Comic Club and Finnegan New Year Brigade (NYB), which marches in the Goodtimers Club, condemn the hateful speech spoken by a person marching with Finnegan on New Year's Day. As a result of this man's behavior the following action has been taken," Inemer wrote. The NYB group further revealed that such individual was banned from the organization and that the group will be "offering its services to help with an LGBT fundraiser or equality awareness, and to learn more about LGBT concerns." Furthermore, the group also stated how the parade rejects such kinds of expressions of hate and bigotry. "That negative behavior and expression has no place in a parade that celebrates family, working people and the hopes for the New Year, and in a parade that has come to represent the City of Philadelphia," the release reads, signed by several members of the group. Stressing that the group cannot control what individuals within the organization choose to do, especially since the recent parade had many expressing negative symbols and messages for the public to see, the NYB further stated, "Therefore, we will continue to educate and to promote inclusivity and cultural awareness." In light of the growing number of shortage in the teaching profession across the country, several cities and school districts have turned to opening up housing opportunities to prevent the extinction of teachers that have struggled to keep up their living to stay within their school areas. The Associated Press extensively reports what has been going on for years in the education field, especially for teachers struggling to meet the demands of their profession to be in school for many hours and go home to their apartments that their salaries cannot afford to keep. The publication reports that a breakthrough recently came up as San Francisco voters approved back in November to have about $35 million reserved for the construction of up to 100 new apartments by the San Francisco Unified School District. This is one of the solutions that San Francisco has analyzed to have a huge effect in the number of teachers that can stay in school districts as they will be able to afford to stay nearby, and, therefore, have more productivity in their work. "If I lived in a better area, I wouldn't feel so scared going home and I would be able to stay at school a little longer," first-grade teacher Esmeralda Jimenez said as quoted by the Associated Press. "You have so many things to do to prep for the next day, but it's gotten to the point where even if I leave at a decent time I will walk three blocks out of my way to avoid some streets." To address the problem, Deputy Superintendent Nyong Leigh revealed just how housing for teachers will work in San Francisco. Apparently, the units will be rented at below-market rates for the 3,500 teachers and 1,600 classroom aides. Furthermore, they will also be eligible for new rental housing allowances and home down payment loans to further reduce their living costs. "Each one of these ideas would reach some modest number, but in aggregate it would hopefully make a difference," Leigh said. The November ballot has now received a great amount of support as the news agency revealed that the Roaring Fork School District in Western Colorado has leveraged a $122 million school construction bond to secure $15 million for subsidized teacher rentals. This is seen to be of big help for teachers, who merely makes $47,000 but the average home sells for $630,000. "Without a doubt the number one reason we lose teachers and it's the number one reason people turn down jobs," Assistant Superintendent Shannon Pelland said as quoted by the news outlet. Despite Hillary Clinton being his chief Democratic primary opponent, Bernie Sanders won't use Bill Clinton's sexual indiscretions against the former Secretary of State's presidential bid. The Vermont senator and Democratic presidential aspirant said on CNN's "State of the Union" that there are more pressing issues to be concerned about than Bill Clinton's sex life. The 74-year-old statesman was asked about Donald Trump's remarks regarding the former president's past affairs, which the brash billionaire said will hamper Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House. "I think Donald Trump might want to concern himself with the fact that he is dead wrong when he says that we should not raise the minimum wage," Sanders asserted. "He's dead wrong when he says we should give huge tax breaks to billionaires like himself. And he's dead wrong when he thinks that climate change is a hoax when virtually the entire scientific community says that it's the great environmental crisis that we face. Maybe Trump should worry about those issues rather than Bill Clinton's sex life." Bill Clinton's highly scrutinized sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky led to his impeachment in 1998. He was later prosecuted for perjury and obstruction of justice. Just a week ago, Latin Post previously reported that Trump threatened to revive Bill Clinton's infamous scandal after Hillary announced that her husband would be campaigning for her starting this week. Meanwhile, Sanders reiterated that the business magnate is a "pathological liar." He said, "I do not get engaged in personal attacks, but Trump really is over the edge. Time after time, this guy just comes up with things off the top of his head that are lies." Aside from commenting on his presidential rivals, Sanders also took the time to advance his stand on certain national issues, which he believes can win back Trump supporters. His primary focus is on income inequality and stifling ISIS, per Latin Post. He also told CNN that wages for working-class Republicans are slowly decreasing while new income and wealth are going to the top one percent of the population. "They can't afford to send their kids to college. They're seeing their jobs going to China," said the veteran democrat. "I think they want a president who has the courage to stand up to the billionaire class, to raise the minimum wage, to make public colleges and universities tuition-free." He added that the next president should address a corrupt campaign finance system, where millionaires and billionaires frivolously spend unlimited sums of money to buy elections. "The American people want change," Sanders declared. "I believe that I'm a vehicle of change, being prepared to stand up to the wealthy and the powerful and create an economy that works for all Americans." Just less than 24 hours after she presumed office, newly elected Temixco Mayor Gisela Mota was shot dead in her home in Temixco, south of Mexico City. According to BBC, Mota has just taken her oath as the new Mayor on Jan. 1, Friday, when she was killed the next day, Jan. 2. The assailants, according to witnesses, open fired at Mota's home that instantly killed her. Police responded to the crime, wherein two of the assailants were killed and three were held for investigation after an intense pursuit. In a detailed report by the Daily News, Mota was attacked inside her home at around 7:30 a.m. where she was beaten and shot in the head by at least four gunmen. At 7:50 a.m., paramedics arrived at the crime scene, declaring Mota dead on the spot. Gov. Graco Ramirez of the Morelos State said that he is not intimidated by the crime and will continue with the investigation. On his Twitter account, Morelos said as translated by Daily News, "We will not return to before. There will be no impunity." The planned assassination was highly related to an organized crime, citing but not mentioning a particular drug cartel syndicate within the region. Cartels, not only in the region but throughout Mexico, have targeted several politicians all for the purpose of being in control of the communities and towns in Mexico. The Democratic Revolution Party, Mota's political alliance, released a statement saying that she's a strong and brave woman whose major platform since presuming office is her direct and frontal war against crime. Temixco is located some 60 miles south of Mexico and has a population of more than 100,000. It is also fourth in the largest cities in Morelos. Mota's case is not a first. In fact, a mayoral candidate was also a victim of such crime. Aide Nava Gonzalez, a mayoral candidate, was killed and found in the outskirts of the town she wished to represent. In June, a mayor-elect for Guanajuato was also killed. A U.S. department website issued a warning on traveling to Mexico, especially in the Morelos region. The warning also reminded the public how U.S. citizens have also been a victim of carjacking, kidnapping and robbery by an organized crime in some of the Mexican states. Mayor Gisela Mota's death is not an isolated case, and politicians have expressed their grief, vowing to make sure that the assailants will be held liable. Travelers are warned about possible conflict when visiting Israel by the various states who are on high alert after a shooting attack in Tel Aviv last Friday, Jan. 1. The attack, which left two dead and at least seven wounded, came at a time when tensions are heightened and violence is rampant between the Israel and Palestinian territories. According to a report from Yahoo! Travel, the U.S. State Department issued a statement back in mid-December, warning their citizens against traveling to the region. "The security situation can change day to day, depending on the political situation, recent events, and geographic area," the statement said. "A rise in political tensions and violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank has resulted in injuries to and deaths of US citizens. The Department of State strongly warns U.S. citizens against travel to the Gaza Strip and urges those in Gaza to leave immediately when border crossings are open; U.S. government employees are not allowed to conduct official or personal travel to Gaza." A report from YNET News revealed that the U.K. has also issued a similar warning after the Tel Aviv attack telling their citizens in the area to "remain vigilant and follow the advice of the security forces." The Israel tourism community is hoping the impact of the recent incident will not be too massive, although they are aware it's possible the industry could take a hit over the events of Tel Aviv. "The whole world is now in hysteria about terrorism, so we are just a small part of all this commotion," Yossi Fattal, Tour Operations Association director, told YNET News. "It is clear that this incident will not have a positive effect on tourism, but is still not clear how much of a negative effect it will have. In any case, we are currently preparing to welcome 150 travel agents and opinion leaders from abroad and hope in this manner to stop a decrease in tourism." Still, the conflict has not stopped many tourists from visiting the country. In the Yahoo! Travel report, it was revealed that around 700,000 Americans traveled to Israel and returned home safely in 2015, according to the Ministry of Tourism of Israel. The report also said that both Israel and Palestinian authorities are making sure that the tourism areas are safe for visitors. Back in October 2015, Israel's Ministry of Tourism released a statement saying, "The safety and well-being of visitors is paramount. Israel is well prepared and committed to handling all scenarios. If at any time we thought a trip to Israel was unwise, we'd have no hesitation in simply suggesting you postpone your trip." Guerrilla movement FARC denied their connection to a man being investigated by the Colombian government for allegedly carrying out forced abortions on female members. The rebel group insisted that having such policy is not part, and against, their principles. The man being investigated is Hector Albeidis Arboleda Buitrago, a nurse working in Madrid, who was taken into custody by Spanish authorities last December. He was accused of performing most of the abortions on female guerrillas, per BBC News. Buitrago is known as "The Nurse," who allegedly forced aborted at least 150 babies in the Colombian jungle from 1998 to 2000, including 50 young girls raped by the rebels. He is wanted by Interpol for multiple counts of aggravated torture, non-consensual abortion and criminal conspiracy. However, he was released by the authorities after some precautionary measures were taken. The 40-year-old nurse is still being investigated by the Colombian Attorney General's Office headed by Atty. Eduardo Montealegre. "We have evidence to prove that forced abortion was a policy of the FARC that was based on forcing a female fighter to abort so as not to lose her as an instrument of war," Montealegre said. A former female rebel confessed in Bogota that she was forced to have five abortions before leaving the group. Women in the group were expected to fight, so abortions are a must to be able to keep their fighting abilities and not become a liability in battle. There a few female fighters who were lucky enough to be allowed to have their babies. According to FOX News, FARC has already issued a statement regarding the accusations via the FARC-EP Joint Chiefs of Staff Secretariat, saying that they have no policy that forces pregnant guerrilla members to have abortions. They added that contraception is available inside their group and calls the entire controversy as a "judicial and media set up." The group has continued to deny the claims, also calling the accusations of raping women and using dead guerrillas in their anatomy classes "false and shameful." FARC has about 8,000 current members, 2,500 of whom are women. The guerrilla movement was formed in 1964 with the main goal to create a Marxist regime in Colombia. They once controlled about 40,000 square kilometers of the country, but the group suffered a lot of problems in recent years. About 220,000 people, in which majority are civilians, have already been killed in the 50-year conflict. The Colombian government and FARC leaders held peace talks in Oslo, Norway back in 2012 after signing a preliminary agreement in Havana, Cuba. Argentina's new government declared on Sunday that it will continue its claim to the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory 300 miles east of South America's Patagonian coast. Newly elected president, Mauricio Macri has invited the U.K. to start a possible negotiation regarding the disputed islands and other territories. "Argentina renews its firm commitment to peacefully settling its differences, to international law and multilateralism. Buenos Aires invites the [U.K.] to resume as soon as possible negotiations aimed at settling fairly and definitively, the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas (Falklands) islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich islands and surrounding territorial seas," Macri said in a statement, per AFP News. The 56-year-old president is not willing to use aggressive behaviour towards the British government, unlike former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. He is expected to use a more subtle, appeasing way for his international relations regarding the islands they call "Las Malvinas." "We have to restore this relationship that has been frozen in recent years, as a result of this conflict. We're talking about two countries which have a lot in common. For example, in terms of environmental concerns, innovation, culture," Argentian Foreign Policy Head Fulvio Pompeo told the British Media, per Forces TV. The Great Britain and Argentina fought in a 10-week war called the "Falklands War" in 1982 over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. A total of 649 Argentinean and 255 British armed forces servicemen were killed in the conflict, including three Falkland civilians. Argentina has maintained its claim on the islands as an inheritance from Spain when it gained its independence in 1767. Britain has reasserted their rule over the islands in 1833, but many nations have settled over the disputed area including France and Spain. According to BBC News, Falkland Islanders held a two-day voting referendum back in 2013 regarding their sovereignty. A turnout of 91.94 percent was achieved, with 99.8 percent voting to remain under British rule while only three votes were in favor of calling for a negotiation with Argentina. "You don't get a much clearer expression of the people's self-determination than such a large turnout and such a large 'YES' vote," Falkland Islands Gov. Nigel Haywood said. Election observers from different Latin American countries including Chile and Mexico were present during the vote. As of the 2012 census, there is an estimated 3,000 Falkland Islanders who are mainly of Welsh and Scottish origin with some descendants from France, Gibraltar and Scandinavia. There are two kinds of people in the world: those who were intrigued by the cliffhanger at the end of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and those who were even more intrigued by the actual cliff where the movie's final scene took place. While those who fall under the first category still have to wait for another year to find out what happens to Luke Skywalker and Rey, "Star Wars" aficionados who have a penchant for traveling can visit the majestic mountain island right now, or preferably in mid-2016. As it turns out, the Jedi sanctuary is a real location known as the Skellig Michael. According to CNN, the steep island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in County Kerry, which is 12 kilometers off the southwest coast of Ireland. The Skellig Michael's rocky and intimidating peaks are uninhabited, but it was once the site of a sixth-century Christian monastery. The sense of solitude is strong in the island and its scenery is nothing short of breathtaking. Visitors would have to walk up 600 steps to reach the beehive-shaped huts of what was once one of Europe's most isolated religious communities. The island's forbidding location has discouraged large crowds from visiting, but officials expect that to change following the site's involvement in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." The island is a two-hour boat ride from the Skellig Experience information center located in Valentia. Visitors can watch a 14-minute video presentation about the Skellig Michael before booking a boat trip that circles but does not land on the island. Boats that do land on the Skellig Michael depart daily from Portmagee, County Kerry. Peak season is from April to September. With that in mind, tourism in Ireland is expected to suffer a significant blow if a recent unconfirmed report turns out to be true. According to MakingStarWars.net editor Jason Ward via Irish Mirror, Skellig Michael sets have already been recreated at Pinewood. The "Star Wars" production team allegedly decided that filming in the real Skellig Michael was just too difficult for several environmental reasons. The aforementioned report has yet to be confirmed by Lucasfilm or Disney. Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons was amenable in aligning Ireland with the highly popular movie franchise, but he could also see those associations drastically altered if the production team decides not to return. "The opportunity to associate the Ireland brand with the 'Star Wars' brand is something that's going to be good for all of us," Gibbons previously stated. "The release of 'The Force Awakens' presents Tourism Ireland with a truly unique opportunity to highlight the South West and Ireland in 2016." Venezuela's state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) is temporarily stopping the export of natural gas to its neighbor Colombia due to "climate factors," as confirmed by the Colombian Mines and Energy Ministry on Friday, Jan. 1, according to a report from Reuters. The report continued that the ministry revealed that PDVSA cited "climate variability" as a primary reason for the exports' delay in a letter to the Colombian government on Wednesday. Ecopetrol, the Colombian state oil company, has asked its Venezuelan counterpart for the projected date of the exports to begin. These gas exports are reportedly part of an agreement between Venezuela and Colombia, which includes a provision that the countries can supply their own markets as necessary before exporting to their neighbor. Colombia was a significant supplier of gas to Venezuela for eight years, and the exchange was set to be reversed on Jan. 1. "The contract specifies the delivery of 39 million cubic feet a day from Venezuela, which corresponds to just over three percent of daily supply in Colombia," the Colombian Mines and Energy Ministry statement said. A report from Fox News also cited the need to generate electricity as one of the reasons for pulling back on the gas exports. Both countries have experienced an El Nino-triggered drought recently, reducing levels of hydroelectric dams as of late, although the statement from the ministry did not elaborate on this. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) revealed that Venezuela has massive natural gas reserves, standing second only to the U.S. However, the country has been consuming massive amounts as well -- more than it produces -- and is trying to upgrade its infrastructure. Part of these reserves is used to generate power while a large 35 percent is allotted for the petroleum industry. The drought has been felt throughout South America, and Venezuela is launching efforts to mitigate its effects on the country. The risks are expected to increase in 2016, so the Venezuelan government has undergone an information campaign recently to warn and inform the community on the potential crisis, according to a report from Telesur TV. The Ecosocialism and Water Ministry has also put together a commission to protect water resources in the face of its scarcity while the government submitted a 38-page plan of its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) during the United Nations 21st Conference of the Parties. The plan includes the details of the country's intention to cut their emissions by 20 percent in 2030. Uruguay floods have left 24,000 persons homeless after heavy rains poured down in the country. A report coming from Uruguay's Sinae or National Emergency System revealed that the number of residents from four provinces located on the west coast area has risen. Out of the 23,571 displaced individuals, 21,249 voluntarily left their homes using their own capacity while 2,322 were evacuated with the help of the government. 6,708 were from Paysandu, 11,002 from the province of Artigas, 5,804 in Salto and 57 in Rio Negro province. The flooding in Uruguay was the result of massive downpours of rain that caused the Uruguay River, particularly its Cuareim tributary that courses through the northern Artigas, to overflow. Fox News Latino reported that last Dec. 23, the Cuareim River whose safety level is at 33 1/2 feet (10.2 meters) came to 50 feet (15.28 meters), its highest level. As of present time, the river has stabilized and lowered below that height. Furthermore, the level of the water from the Uruguay River that runs through Salto where the current rose to 43 2/3 feet (13.32 meters) has subsided. The safety level is at 33 1/3 feet (12 meters). Same as in Paysandu where safety level is at 18 feet (5.5 meters), the water level has stabilized and is now at a height of 30 feet (9.1 meters). According to Latin American Herald Tribune, those affected by the Uruguay floods have been assisted by emergency management services and evacuated in temporary shelters. Other homeless individuals were either lodged at makeshift campsites or staying in private residences. In the meantime, evacuees were provided with personal hygiene and healthcare goods as well as other needed items. The provincial authorities and several NGOs assisted Uruguay's Sinae in taking care of the displaced residents. The Sinae has stated that it will continue to monitor the situation and to arrange for the return of the residents to the city of Artigas. However, it gave out a warning for those who will go back to their homes once the Uruguay River water levels become normal that returning to their abode can only be accomplished without danger after the "cleaning and disinfection of the affected areas have been carried out." Other factors that place the well-being of the population at peril are the excessive demands on the healthcare system and the presence of bacteria." Meanwhile, in a report by International Business Times, the heavy rains that poured down that caused the Uruguay floods as wells as in Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina were caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon. Paraguay's national emergencies office stated that the "worst flooding in 50 years" that affected the South American countries was "directly influenced by the El Nino phenomenon which has intensified the frequency and intensity of rains." This 2016, Latinas Think Big community listed the top 10 Latina innovators who are changing the world's status quo through the diverse fields of science diplomacy, engineering, technology, the arts, health and local politics. According to the Huffington Post, these innovators used their culture, authenticity and passion to influence the Latino community and create new opportunities as well as achieve social impact. So, what is Latinas Think Big Innovation Summit? Well, it is a community of 300 accomplished and aspiring Latinas that aims to improve the careers, businesses and economic prosperity of women through an online platform, entrepreneurial events and summits. And here are the top 10 Latina innovators, tech entrepreneurs and influencers to watch out for in 2016. 1. Marga Gual Soler, PhD Soler is a biomedical scientist who uses science to break down barriers and build bridges between people, institutions and nations. As a project director at the Center for Science Diplomacy at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C, her science diplomacy research projects aim to address political, geographical and cultural divisions between countries. 2. Noramay Cadenas The co-founder and general manager of Make in Los Angeles, Cadena is the leading innovator for the first hardware accelerator in the San Fernando Valley. She is also leading the Latinas in STEM Foundation, an organization she co-founded in 2013 to inspire and empower Hispanic women to pursue and thrive in STEM fields. 3. Judith Duval This Dominican-born entrepreneur and TV personality uses multimedia to reach the Latino community in both Spanish and English languages. She is innovating the wellness industry by combining biculturalism, multimedia and authenticity to inspire her readers and followers. 4. Judith Garcia Garcia is a Latina millennial who is trailblazing in local politics. At the age of 24, she recently became a City Council for District 5 in Chelsea, Massachusetts who had the highest voter turnout in the first preliminary election in the district for more than a decade. She is also making a difference by using a new approach to local politics and her strongest asset is listening to her community. 5. Catherine Lajara Lajara established the first institution-independent clinical research center in the Bronx. She aims to bring clinical research opportunities to urban communities and address health disparities among minority populations such as Latinos and African-American. 6. Angelica Gutierrez, PhD Names as the one of the top 40 best professors under 40 in 2015, Gutierrez is a business and leadership professor who cultivates the next generation of business leaders. Her profound passion for student mentorship is also highly notable. 7. Sandra Tibbs, PhD While extensively working with Fortune 500 corporate leaders, Tibbs combines her military experience, doctoral work in leadership studies and cultural background to expand a strong framework for developing leadership beyond corporate America. 8. Luz Rivas As a daughter of Mexican immigrants, Rivas used her Harvard education to inspire the next generation of technologists and engineers through creative electronic kits. In 2011, she founded DIY Girls, a nonprofit organization established to create hands-on Science-Technology-Engineering-Art-Math (STEAM) programs to Los Angeles kids. She also co-founded KitHub, which has received wide recognition and venture capital funding. 9. Adriana Pavon Pavon is a Mexican entrepreneur, fashion designer and artist advocate who uses her skills, creativity and passion to empower indigenous artists while she preserves her culture. She is also the founder of the Detroit Fashion Collective, an entrepreneurial ecosystem helping designers to develop their independent labels into successful businesses. 10. Estefania Ortiz Currently a senior Computer Science student at Stanford University, Ortiz has interned in Software Engineering at top tech giants such as Microsoft and Facebook. She uses her passion for Software Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Education in Puerto Rico to promote independent education through free and accessible online courses. She has also developed a curriculum designed to assist high school students. Starting this week, the city of Los Angeles has a great possibility to experience a series of El Nino-related rainstorms and snowfall which could last all throughout the week. As reported by The Los Angeles Times, there is a 30 percent chance of rain between 10 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday, and a 70 percent chance Monday morning, according to Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, with a good chance of up to half-inch of rain. Moreover, there is a also the great possibility that Los Angeles will experience the strongest storm this Tuesday, Munroe Said. It will bring about one or two inches of rain in foothill areas, with up to four inches at higher elevations. Mountain areas above 6,000 feet could experience up to 2 feet of snow. According to The Daily News, that much rain in a short period could also bring flooding and debris flows from recently burnt areas. And as noted, residents in these areas are advised to monitor weather reports and consider preparing sand bags. In a report by KPCC, John Dumas, a Science and Operations Officer from the NWS said, "We're very concerned with a lot of the areas where there has been fire. When the rain comes down on that, it could start triggering the mud and the rocks and everything else to start coming down." Dumas also said, "The overall pattern that is bringing us these storms is finally looking like what we would expect the El Nino pattern to look like that it so far hasn't this summer." In addition, coastal areas can expect high surf throughout much of next week, along with the possibility of flooding, especially during the middle of the week when a large swell arrives, the NWS said. Furthermore, Western-facing beaches will be particularly prone to flooding on Tuesday and Wednesday. A spokesperson from the Long Beach Fire Department said that although there are no imminent flood warnings, city agencies are monitoring for a new new weather developments. The first rain in the city of Los Angeles was expected to fall yesterday during afternoon or evening, but the NWS warned another storm will hit the city Wednesday, with the rainfall decreasing on Thursday. On the other hand, resorts in the Sierra and San Gabriel mountains are expecting several feet of snow. In fact, Mammoth Resorts already exceeded their last season's attendance record, resort spokeswoman Lauren Burke said. "We're averaging about 15,000 people on the hill every day, which is really solid holiday visitation. Some days we've seen even a little more than that and any time it snows we've seen that number pick up," she added. In his last year as the President of the United States, Barack Obama is considering a trip to Cuba if its government bolsters its human rights record and opens its doors for more American business. As reported by The Los Angeles Times, the president would make the decision in the next couple of months, as his national security team is still evaluating the tentative warming of relations since the opening of a U.S. embassy in Havana last year. According to Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, "The key test is whether the president's going to Cuba would help advance those priorities," and in particular whether the visit would "improve the lives of the Cuban people." Bloomberg noted that the U.S. has taken steps to facilitate travel and commerce with the country for the first time in decades, though Rhodes said that "there is more we could do." He added that, "On the Cuban side, there are steps they could take over the course of the year that could allow them to absorb greater economic activity," while also saying that nobody is expecting Cuba in the next couple of years to become a multi-party democracy. Cuba and the United States started to re-establish its ties in late 2014, where Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro met at the Summit of the Americas in Panama in April 2015 -- the first meeting between the U.S. and Cuban heads of state since 1961. In a similar report by Reuters, a trip by a U.S. president would be historic and the government is willing to use that leverage to press Cuba to make reforms. President Obama made it clear that he is eager to visit the country before he leaves office next year. This controversial visit arose in a preview of the president's foreign policy plans for his final year in the office, as his aides prepare for his return to Washington after two weeks of vacation with his family in his childhood home state of Hawaii. And by far, the overarching foreign policy of the new year will be the fight against terrorists, with the Islamic State in particular. Moreover, the Obama administration will be looking to disrupt the terrorist group's plans, ease the Syrian conflict and push the group away from its safe havens in that region. Obama's aides also said that the president also plans to seek new authorization for the use of military force. As noted, the fight against terrorism will be the main focus with NATO leaders at an upcoming summit in Poland. Later this week, President Barack Obama will be discussing the need for stricter policies on the use of guns. A live televised meeting with Obama to be hosted by CNN will tackle gun violence in the U.S. President Obama will participate in a town-hall style meeting with Anderson Cooper at George Mason University, which is set to air live on Thursday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m. ET. The one-hour show titled "Guns in America" will be televised exclusively on CNN. Today, Jan. 4, the U.S. president is scheduled to meet with Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch to talk about executive actions that can be done to control gun violence, the New York Times reports. According to the president's weekly radio address, he has received a lot of letters from teachers, parents and children regarding "the epidemic of gun violence" that he cannot "sit around and do nothing," per Telegraph. Furthermore, the report noted that the president previously directed the White House staff to research on possible executive actions to combat gun violence, which include wider background checks. Firearms dealers licensed by the federal government are required to make background checks on potential gun buyers. However, according to advocacy groups, there are firearm sellers at gun shows who do not have federal licenses, which could mount the chance of gun sales to customers who are not legally eligible to own a gun. Though the plans for the executive actions are still incomplete, advocates for gun control are expecting that new actions will be revealed next week prior to the yearly State of the Union address of the president, which is scheduled on Jan. 12. CNN's report noted that gun control is an issue that Obama "has had zero success on so far in his presidency." This is in spite of the president's frequent emotional call for change. "Congress has remained a roadblock even in the face of widespread public support for Obama's past calls for universal background checks or bolstered mental health support, with near uniform opposition from Republicans and a split on the issue among Democrats," CNN explained. CNN's report noted that the president has constantly expressed his frustration that Congress is not able to pass gun laws. Obama also spoke about increasing gun control, especially in the wake of mass shootings. A recent one, the San Bernardino shooting in California, killed 14 people. Obama's initial response emphasized the need for stricter gun restrictions, New York Times noted. Below is a report from CNN about Obama's plans to tighten laws on gun control. The legal counsel of accused money laundering Ex-Honduran VP and Grupo Continental CEO Jaime Rosenthal said their client cannot be extradited until crime investigation in Honduras is completed. "As long as proceedings are pending against him, the extradition process cannot start," asserted defense attorney Marlon Duarte via LA Herald Tribune. The statement was made after the Honduras government publicly announced that it has received a request from the U.S. for the extradition of the prominent politician and banker, per Reuters. Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales revealed on Saturday that the request was received before Christmas. After the long holiday break, the Honduran courts will decide this week whether to grant Jamie's extradition. Corrales added that the request for Rosenthal was "bad news for the country." On Oct. 7, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that Jamie, his son Yani Rosenthal, nephew Yankel Rosenthal along with multiple businesses operating under Grupo Continental, had been designated under the Kingpin Act. Prosecutors accused the trio of laundering money for drug traffickers in Central America. The three Rosenthals and their lawyer Andres Acosta Garcia have since been charged with plotting the decade-long modus operandi, where drug trafficking and foreign bribery profits were laundered via U.S. bank accounts. The Rosenthals have consistently denied the allegations even though Yankel was arrested in Miami. Jaime has a net worth of approximately $690 million. He is also the proud custodian of no less than 11,000 head of cattle and 10,000 crocodiles. Rosenthal operates at least 20 businesses in Honduras, as per Bloomberg Business. Apart from cattle and crocodile farming, the multi-millionaire credits the vast majority of his wealth in banking. However, Honduras' Banking Commission has ordered Banco Continental to be liquidated. The bank has roughly $500 million in assets, the largest in Rosenthal's portfolio. The 79-year-old has not given any indication that he plans to leave the country, where he owns 23 properties and employs 100 members of his family's support staff including bodyguards, drivers and nurses. Rosenthal graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958. He served as the vice-president of Honduras from 1986 to 1989. As a staunch member of the country's liberal party, which he eventually led at some point, he spoke very openly against the country's 2009 coup against President Manuel Zelaya. The public figure and business magnate now face major restrictions from the U.S. Treasury, which has placed sanctions on Inversiones Continental, a company that has immense control over Rosenthal's banking, financial services, property, construction and agricultural interests as well as many others including three offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands. The United States is in far greater danger than it was when President Barack Obama entered the White House, according Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio, who spoke of his national security plan. From New Hampshire on Monday, Rubio said any event in foreign cities such as Beijing, Moscow and Tehran are also the business of the U.S. He explained global events affect the U.S. economy, and foreign policy is now an important factor of U.S. domestic policy. He accused Obama of basing foreign policy strategies on politics, citing the response to the San Bernardino shootings. "When America needed a bold plan of action from our Commander-in-Chief, we instead got a lecture on love, tolerance, and gun control designed to please the talking heads at MSNBC. The result of all of this is that people are afraid. And they have every right to be," said Rubio, based on prepared remarks. "To make matters worse, candidates for president in both parties cling to the same plan of weakness and retreat." Taking a shot at Democratic Party front-runner Hillary Clinton, Rubio said the former secretary of state "stood by" while Syria became the worst humanitarian crisis of the generation, mocked her "reset" button effort with Russia despite President Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine, and her poor management in Libya, resulting in the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi. "Not only is Hillary Clinton incompetent, she's also a liar," said Rubio. "While she was leading the public and the families of the fallen to believe the attack in Benghazi happened because of a YouTube video, we now know she was admitting in private emails that it was the result of terrorism. She lied to our faces. ... If I am our nominee, voters will be reminded of it time and time again." Rubio didn't only attack the Democratic front-runner, but he also commented about the policies among the Republican presidential candidates. Without specifically naming a fellow GOP candidate, Rubio said his Republican colleagues have suggested Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to partner with the U.S., have voted in favor of Obama and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, are isolationists with a policy to weak military and intelligence capabilities instead of fighting enemies. "They talk tough, yet they would strip us of the ability to keep our people safe," said Rubio without naming a fellow Republican presidential candidate. "Words and political stunts cannot ensure our security." Rubio said he will be a president who would destroy terrorists overseas "by authorizing whatever tools our commanders need," reverse defense cuts and equip military men and women to have the upper hand in battle. The Florida senator also spoke about Obama's imminent executive actions on gun regulation. Although Obama has yet to announce the executive actions, Rubio said Obama's announcement will affect law-abiding citizens instead of criminals or terrorists. "This president needs to stop focusing on what he's constitutionally forbidden to do, which is interfering with our Second Amendment rights, and he needs to start focusing on what he's constitutionally required to do, which is protecting our people as Commander in Chief," Rubio said. In regards to handling terrorists, Rubio said suspected terrorists will not be given their Miranda Rights or have their day in court. Foreign terrorists, when caught overseas, will be sent to the Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba for interrogation. If an American is caught to support terrorism, Rubio said he has no problem treating the individual as an enemy combatant. "The time to act is now," added Rubio. "We cannot afford to elect Hillary Clinton, because America cannot afford another four years like the last eight. And we cannot settle for just any Republican, because this election is not a choice between two parties, it is a generational choice on our identity as a nation and as a people." __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. The Obama administration has confirmed deportations raids on adults and children who were apprehended in the U.S. In a statement released on Monday, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson said he has repeatedly said "our borders are not open to illegal migration; if you come here illegally, we will send you back consistent with our laws and values." And while immigrant apprehensions have dropped during the 2015 fiscal year, Johnson revealed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency within the DHS, conducted nationwide enforcement operations to detain or return "at a greater rate" adults who entered the U.S. illegally with children. "This should come as no surprise," said Johnson. "I have said publicly for months that individuals who constitute enforcement priorities, including families and unaccompanied children, will be removed." Johnson said New Years weekend saw operations that, in addition to adults, focused on children who: 1. Were apprehended after May 1, 2014 crossing the southern border illegally, 2. Have been issued final orders of removal by an immigration court, 3. Have exhausted appropriate legal remedies, and have no outstanding appeal or claim for asylum or other humanitarian relief under our laws. The Homeland Security secretary disclosed 121 individuals were taken into custody and are in the process to be deported. Most of detainees were residing in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. Families have been impacted. Johnson said most families in custody are first sent to one of ICE's family residential centers -- or a detention facility -- for temporary processing before receiving travel documents to board a flight to their native country. Among these families are children, and Johnson said precautions were taken in such cases, which included deployment of "a number" of female ICE agents and medical personnel. Johnson said it is his discretion to continue additional deportation raids, and last weekend's action was overseen by ICE Director Sarah Saldana. Although immigrant apprehension has declined, Johnson said the rate of unaccompanied immigrant children crossing the southern border has increased in recent months. As a result, DHS has continued cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide care and sponsors for the minors; per law, DHS transfers minors to the custody of HHS. As the deportation raids were occurring, immigrant rights groups continued to voice their opposition to the Obama's administration decision to continue the campaign. Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), called on Obama to stop the raids. "What message is sent by a president whose first action in the new year is to destroy families - to rip children from their homes and communities? In recent years, too many lives have been ruined by heartless and racist deportation policies. Home raids are inherently destructive and terrorize immigrant communities. Now is not a time for mass deportations, but for increased humanity," Alvarado said. Alvarado said Obama's latest deportation campaign is "far more harmful" than Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric. "While Trumps's dangerous rhetoric stigmatizes our loved ones, President Obama actually deports them," added Alvarado. "ICE is distrusted by our communities and rightly so. Reports indicate that ICE has been using racist lies to trick people into letting ICE into their homes. Immigrant communities must be warned to not open their doors to ICE unless they have a warrant. "We need an immigration policy that recognizes the human dignity of migrants and does not use them as political pawns. Anything less is unconscionable." The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) also called on Obama, Johnson and Saldana to immediately end the raids. "If these families are deported -- and most of them would be women and children, they would be returned to places they fled to escape being killed, raped or tortured," said FIRM spokesperson Kica Matos. "These families came to the United States seeking refuge and better lives, like countless millions of other immigrants. That is what has made America the great country that it is. Rounding up these families to deport them back to a region marked by extreme violence is inhumane." While more deportation raids may occur, Johnson said the U.S. Department of State has been working on establishing an improved refugee screening process for Central Americans and an announcement is expected soon. "I know there are many who loudly condemn our enforcement efforts as far too harsh, while there will be others who say these actions don't go far enough. I also recognize the reality of the pain that deportations do in fact cause. But, we must enforce the law consistent with our priorities," said Johnson. "At all times, we endeavor to do this consistent with American values, and basic principles of decency, fairness, and humanity." __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. Donald Trump doubled down on some of his most controversial remarks in his campaign's first television ad, reiterating his promise to temporarily ban on Muslims entering the U.S. and have Mexico pay for a wall along the border. The 30-second spot, set for official release on Jan. 5, in the critical early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, includes images of masked militants standing in front of Arabic script and what could be interpreted as throngs of Mexicans running toward a border fence. Trump "is calling for a temporary shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until we can figure out what's going on," the commercial's narrator summarizes. "He'll quickly cut the head of (the jihadist terror group) ISIS and take their oil. And he'll stop illegal immigration by building a wall on our southern border that Mexico will pay for." Using bleak imagery, the ad attacks President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- the Democratic front-runner in the 2016 White House race -- for refusing to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism." At one point, it also shows photographs of the couple that carried out the deadly attack in San Bernardino, California. The 69-year-old real-estate tycoon has said he's was pleased with the ad, though he indirectly admitted that he had fared very well on free media coverage so far. The Trump campaign announced that it would be spending at least $2 million dollars per week, with $1.1 million allocated to television in Iowa and nearly $1 million spent on New Hampshire broadcasts. Previously, Trump had already run radio commercials in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, and it said that those ad buys would remain in place. In a statement from his campaign, Trump said, "I am leading in every poll by wide, double digit margins. We have tremendous crowds, incredible support from all over the country and I am $35 million dollars under budget. We have spent the least amount of money and have the best results and this is the kind of thinking the country needs. I am very proud of this ad, I don't know if I need it, but I don't want to take any chances because if I win we are going to Make America Great Again." Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio on Jan. 3 promised to immediately undo President Barack Obama's executive action on gun rights if he were to move into the White House in 2017. Speaking in the critical early-primary state of New Hampshire, the Florida senator claimed Obama's move -- which will require more small-scale gun sellers to obtain federal licenses -- was unconstitutional, hours before the president had announced the details of his plan, Time reported. "(Obama) has waged war on the Constitution," Rubio told a crowd in Raymond, New Hampshire. "He is obsessed with gun control," and the president's decision was "meant to further erode the Second Amendment." "I believe that every single American has a Constitution -- and therefore God-given -- right to defend themselves and their families," Rubio concluded. The White House is finalizing several measures in an effort to make progress on curbing gun violence, an issue Obama and his aides have found intractable, Politico recalled. Requiring an expanded number of small-scale gun sellers to be licensed would lead to additional background checks whenever a gun purchase takes place, the Washington publication explained. A number of Rubio's rivals for the Republican nomination in this year's White House race, meanwhile, similarly criticized the administration's efforts. At a Mississippi campaign rally on Jan. 3, party front-runner Donald Trump promised to "unsign" anything Obama implements, CNN noted. "There's an assault on the Second Amendment," Trump said. "You know Obama's going to do an executive order and really knock the hell out of it. ... He's going to sign another executive order having to do with the Second Amendment, having to do with guns. I will veto. I will unsign that so fast." New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, meanwhile, told "Fox News Sunday" that Obama "wants to act as if he is a king, as if he is a dictator." "Fact is, if he wants to make changes to these laws, go to Congress and convince the Congress that they're necessary," Christie said. "But this is going to be another illegal executive action, which I'm sure will be rejected by the courts and when I become president will be stricken from executive action by executive action I'll take." A New Hampshire state representative over the weekend got into an argument with Hillary Clinton after she tried to question the Democratic front-runner over allegations involving the sexual history of Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton. Katherine Prudhomme-O'Brien, a Republican member of the Granite State's House of Representatives, repeatedly interrupted during a town hall held at a middle school gymnasium in Derry, New Hampshire. According to the Washington Post, Prudhomme-O'Brien has a history of following the former New York senator and urging her to answer questions about Bill Clinton's alleged misconduct. It was not clear if the presidential candidate was able to hear the representative's comments, but Clinton did take note of the interruption and chided Prudhomme-O'Brien for her behavior. "You are very rude," Clinton replied. "And I'm not ever going to call on you." Prudhomme-O'Brien later told reporters that she was angered by "the hypocrisy of the so-called women fighting for women" and thus wanted to raise the issue of Bill Clinton's alleged sexual misconduct. "I asked her how in the world she can say that Juanita Broaddrick and Kathleen Willey are lying when she has no idea who Juanita Broaddrick is," Prudhomme-O'Brien told CNN in reference to a former Arkansas nursing home administrator who in 1999 had accused Bill Clinton of having raped her two decades earlier. At the time, Clinton's attorney David Kendall denied the allegations on behalf of the then-president, and the Clintons have refused to further comment on the issue. "She told me this summer she doesn't know who she is and doesn't want to know who she is," Prudhomme-O'Brien added. "How can she assess that they are lying, which she told someone last month?" The Democratic front-runner last year told an Iowa audience that rape victims "have the right to be believed," assuring them they had "the right to be heard." But Prudhomme-O'Brien alleged that the former first lady was not making true on her promise. "She says that rape victims should be believed," the state representative noted. "I agree with her, that is true, they should be believed and we should assess what they are saying, she doesn't even what to access it." Several 2016 Republican candidates have seized the opportunity to attack President Barack Obama over his plan to use his executive authority to expand gun control measures. For years, Obama has urged the Republican-controlled Congress to take action against gun violence in America by strengthening gun laws that would make it harder for people with criminal backgrounds and mental illness to purchase a firearm. However, GOP lawmakers have refused to pass legislation on gun regulation. As a result, the president announced last week that he plans to impose executive orders that would restrict gun access in effort to prevent another mass shooting. He also planned to meet with Attorney Gen. Loretta Lynch on Monday to review possible executive actions he can take on that will withstand legal challenges, reports CBS News. "We know that we can't stop every act of violence," Obama said in his weekly address. "But what if we tried to stop even one?" According to administration officials, one measure in Obama's executive order would require background checks for those who buy firearms at gun shows, a proposal that Republican congressmen, backed by the National Riffle Association, have long blocked. Just days after he announced his plans to consider executive actions on gun control, the president drew sharp criticism from Republican presidential candidates who say he lacks the authority to enact the restrictions by executive order. "I don't like anything to do with changing our 2nd Amendment," said Republican front-runner Donald Trump on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Obama "just goes and signs executive orders on everything." The billionaire businessman also vowed to "terminate" any gun measures implemented by the Obama administration should he become president during an appearance on Fox News Sunday morning. "He's been getting away with murder," said the real estate mogul. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush also blasted the possible firearm sale restrictions, arguing that the move would "take rights away from law-abiding citizens." "To use executive powers he doesn't have is a pattern that is quite dangerous," Bush told Fox News. "His top-down driven approach doesn't create freedom, doesn't create safety, doesn't create security. And that's what we ought to be focused on." Likewise, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio spoke out against the president "governing through decree" while at a campaign event on Sunday. "Executive actions are designed to implement law, designed to help the implementation of law -- not to undermine the law. And he's used executive action as a way to undermine the law or write a new law," Rubio told reporters at a town hall in New Hampshire. Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie predicted that the "illegal executive action" would later be "rejected by the courts." "When I become president, [the order] will be stricken from executive action -- by executive action I will take," he pledged on Fox News. On the other hand, both 2016 Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders praised the president's plans. A Donald Trump supporter was escorted out of a Bernie Sanders campaign rally in Massachusetts over the weekend after the man heckled the 2016 Democratic candidate. The Vermont senator was addressing a crowd of more than 3,000 people at the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst on Saturday when he was briefly interrupted by a man wearing a Trump T-shirt. Sanders was talking about wealth inequality when he was interrupted by the man, who shouted, "Shame on you Bernie!" from the third row of the auditorium, according to The Sacramento Bee. "Here is a Trump supporter worried about Mr. Trump's money," Sanders said in response, prompting boos from the audience. The heckler was then removed from the auditorium by Sanders' staff while the crowd chanted "Bernie, Bernie, Bernie" to drown out the protester. The man, however, continued to fist-pump during his exit. He was also holding a sign that read, "Obama is as Christian as Bruce Jenner is a woman." Once the Trump supporter was removed, Sanders said, "I say to Mr. Trump and his supporters that the billionaires of this country will not continue to own this nation." During the rally, Sanders also criticized Trump for calling for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants entering the country and a mass deportation of undocumented residents. "We all know people are angry and they are upset for a lot of good reasons," the self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist said. "But what we have got to do is not let Trump and these other people divide us up. Latinos who are picking tomatoes for eight bucks an hour are not the reason that the middle class of this country is disappearing. Muslim kids who are going to schools studying to be engineers are not the reason we have income and wealth inequality." Back in October, Trump bashed Sanders, saying, "I call him a socialist-slash-communist, because that's what he is," reports CNN. Communication, commerce, and government are just a few aspects of our daily lives that have been forever changed and, in many ways, made more convenient by the Internet. Unfortunately, these same advancements also have introduced a new breed of technologically-savvy criminal. Such crimes as terrorism, espionage, financial fraud, and identity theft have long existed in the physical realm, but are now being perpetrated in the cyber domain. As criminals more effectively exploit this new frontier, their use of the Internet and technology adds a layer of complexity that cannot be overcome through the efforts of any one agency. To address this evolving cyber challenge, the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force (NCIJTF) was officially established in 2008. The NCIJTF is comprised of over 30 partnering agencies from across law enforcement, the intelligence community, and the Department of Defense, with representatives who are co-located and work jointly to accomplish the organizations mission from a whole-of-government perspective. As a unique multi-agency cyber center, the NCIJTF has the primary responsibility to coordinate, integrate, and share information to support cyber threat investigations, supply and support intelligence analysis for community decision-makers, and provide value to other ongoing efforts in the fight against the cyber threat to the nation The ongoing trade war happening between Russia and the Ukraine has just taken things on a more serious level. On Saturday, the Ukrainian government has just announced that they were implementing a ban on a number of food imports from Russia. Among the food items included on the ban are meat, vegetables, fish, fruit, dairy and alcohol. The ban, which officially starts on January 10, follows after a similar Russian ban has been implemented on New Year's Day. Prior to the embargo on Ukranian products, a free-trade agreement was approved by Ukraine with the European Union. Russia's decision on the embargo of Ukrainian products was a way for them to protect its domestic markets. With the EU-Ukraine deal signed, this would allow European products to enter Russian borders without paying import duty. At the same time, the embargo has been described by Russian officials as a reprisal for Ukraine's decision, since doing so would punish Russia for it's the annexation of Crimea and thus support eastern Ukraine's separatist war effort. A similar retaliatory embargo has also been imposed by Russia on Western food products. This ban closes its Russian markets to meat, fish, cheese, almost all fruits and vegetables coming from the EU, Australia, Norway, and North America. Back in November 2013, Ukraine was set to sign an association agreement with the EU. But due to pressure from Russia, the then president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, backed out. This led to massive street protest in Kiev, which led to the spark of the revolution that ousted the president a few months later. In September, the parliament approved the association agreement. Russia's response to the revolution as a western-sponsored coup was to annex Crimea. It then led a separatist army in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk signed the decree prohibiting the import of Russian products. According to the decree, the ban will last until August 5th or until the ban has been cancelled. The issue of Poland's controversial new amendments to its media law will be discussed by the European Union's executive body. EU and Poland is said to meet later this month. President Jean-Claude Juncker of European Commission decided to schedule a debate this coming January 13, which signaled a troubling issue regarding the newly passed changes which was passed by Poland's conservative-nationalist Law and Justice Party. The announcement came after German politician Gunther Oettinger called on the European Union to address the controversial issue. The European Commission wrote to Poland's ministers stating its concern over the legislation. However, Poland's government, Law and Justice Party (PiS), has rejected the idea that it wants to eradicate or at least limit the freedom of speech. On December, the governing nationalist party of Poland decided to push the law through parliament. The new law provides the government a power to assign managers of state-run news organizations. Poland's new law has struck many citizens from Warsaw with fear. It is said that the new law will forcefully shut down the Poland's freedom of speech. Polish President Andrzej Duda defended Poland's new law. He said that the changes in legislation were necessary as for 8 years under the previous pro-EU government, the state broadcasters were 'deeply one-party media'. EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Oettinger, told the German newspaper in an interview that it was 'arbitrary' to dismiss a director of a news agency without providing a reason. He also added that an even bigger concern of the EU is that state broadcasters could eventually 'lose their function', namely to inform citizens independently. The EU commissioner also said that they need to strengthen the independence of regulators and then threatened to put Poland on notice for infringing on common European values for legislation. Reporters like, Association of European Journalists (AEJ), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and Reporters Without Borders (ESF) are said to be among those new agencies who have expressed their deep concern regarding Poland's new law. Association of European Journalists said that the law would 'effectively bring public service television and radio under the direct control of the government', which then will lead to a systematic editorial bias in the content and will favor present government. In the initial phase of EU and Poland's discussion, the Commission will gather information and assess whether there are clear indications of a systematic threat to the rule of law. If the EU finds a threat, it will then initiate a dialogue with Poland. The first former Soviet country Estonia has legalized gay civil unions. But the government is not completely ready to implement the said laws. The Estonian government has officially passed a law in 2014 that allows gay partnership to be legally acceptable. Huffington Post reported that the Parliament have not passed laws that will help the same-sex law to be applied. Laws regarding their divorce, inheritance and other practical matters connected to the main law have not been discussed in the congress yet. According to 12 News, the chamber is advising couples to put off their plans of marriage as the law is not completely ready yet. Until the rules regarding legal matters to be clear, the couples are waiting before entering union. The couples are baffled with the news. They are expecting the laws to be ready as many couples are excited to be married and live together with each other happily. However, they are fine with it because at least there was an improvement seen with accepting the same-sex couples made by the law. The Guardian stated that Estonia is the first former member of the Soviet Union to legalized same-sex marriage. Legalization of same-sex marriage is continuing to rise in percentage in many European countries. Like other Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Latvia, Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union for almost five decades and Estonia is considered the most Westernized country between the former Soviet countries and the recently passed law proved this. Ever since the U.S. passed the same-sex law nationwide, many other countries, especially the Western ones are talking about passing laws that are related to it. Though many people might think that since European countries are very open with many things, they are also open with the issue of same-sex. It is not entirely true as many European countries are heavily Christian-centric. The Authors Guild, an advocacy organization of Americans writers, has filed a petition in the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its case against Google Books scanning project. The petition is seeking the review of a lower court ruling that allowed Google to scan and post copyrighted books for its Google Books Service without the author's permission. The Authors Guild initially filed a lawsuit against Google in 2005 alleging copyright infringement. The tech giant launched Google Books a year earlier and began scanning books from leading research libraries to create a searchable online database. After a decade-long battle, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in October 2015 that Google's scanning project was fair use. However, the Second Circuit ruling was termed by the organization as "flawed" and was said to have also failed to see the damaging effect of Google Books, International Business Times reported. The Authors Guild's Executive Director and a copyright atttorney Mary Rasenberger said in a statement that Google copied books illegally without permission, because it could. Rasenberger said Google's actions cannot be justified after the fact just because Google Books uses the books to provide a research service in addition to the many other uses it has made for profit. Jurist reported that the petition filed last week mentioned Google copied more than 20 million books. At least four million of the books were still protected by copyright, but the company never got permission for their reproduction. The oldest America's writers organization further alleged Google provided the libraries with unlicensed digital copies of the books. The books that Google copied are stored in the Google Books search engine database, which became available to all internet users. According to The Washington Post, the Authors Guild does not want to shut Google Books down, but it does want Google to pay copyright fees. Rasenberger also cited that the organization is asking for authors to be compensated for the value their works bring to Google, and it wants to make that very clear. She added that the Authors Guild's members are some of the biggest users of Google Books. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Authors Guild's petition. However, the company has said in the past statement that it believes Google Books does fall under fair use. Google noted that Google Books scanning project has become invaluable research tool for many. Google also said that it would be prohibitive for it to provide the service and pay authors what has been determined by copyright law. The Indonesian government is determined to appeal the court's decision to reject a US$565 million lawsuit against pulp plantation company Bumi Mekar Hijau for failing to prevent plantation fires and contributing to Southeast Asia's haze crisis. Indonesian authorities filed a civil lawsuit against Bumi Mekar Hijau, a supplier to global company Asia Pulp and Paper, which required the former to pay up to 7.8 trillion rupiah or US$565 million for failing to prevent fires on plantation land in 2014. The wildfires inevitably contributed to the toxic haze that blanketed parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. According to Asia One, Mr Pharlis Nababa, chair of the district court in Sumatra province, cited insufficient evidence as the reason for rejecting the lawsuit. The court ruled on December 30. Payment for damages would have been the biggest ever levied against a private company over plantation fires in Indonesia. Environmentalists are disappointed, and believe this rejection is a major setback against ongoing efforts to bring perpetrators behind the yearly haze outbreaks to justice. According to Chanel News Asia, Riko Kurniawan, one of the activists representing The Indonesian Forum for the Environment, thinks the lawsuit rejection set a "bad precedent", citing it as "another failed attempt to seek justice for victims of the haze". Environment Ministry spokesperson Eka Widodo Sugiri assures the public that the government will file an appeal to the court's decision within two weeks. Sugiri tells the foreign press that the "nation's dignity was disturbed" because Indonesia received several complaints from neighbouring Southeast Asian countries. Haze caused by wildfires occur every year in Indonesia, as a result of the slash-and-burn method workers use to make way for palm oil and paper plantations in Sumatra and the Indonesian side of Borneo Island. The thick blanket of haze stretches from Indonesia and reaches parts of Malaysia and Singapore. To prevent this from happening, plantation companies are responsible for making sure fires do not break out within their territory, but this has not stopped fires from occurring. Most big companies have "zero-burn" policies in place, but typically insist that the fires started outside their land, and by people who are not their employees. According to CNN, the haze caused by the raging fires in September and October last year are the worst to occur in years. It resulted in the closing of schools, disruption of businesses, flight cancellations, and half a million cases of acute respiratory infection. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has dubbed the recent crisis as a "crime against humanity". Jan 4, 2016, 1:25pm ET Ford, Toyota form connectivity partnership OEMs join forces to keep infotainment in the hands of the automakers. Ford and Toyota announced Monday that Toyota will adopt Ford's SmartDeviceLink platform for automotive smartphone connectivity. SmartDeviceLink is Ford's software platform for facilitating communication between handheld device applications and a vehicle's on-board infotainment software (in this case, Ford's Sync and Toyota's Entune). Ford's current implementation of this platform is called "AppLink." The announcement is seen by the two automakers as the foundation of what they hope will be a large alliance of manufacturers who want to keep development of automotive infotainment systems in-house while still supporting an industry-standard platform. Ford says PSA Peugeot Citroen is the closest to becoming the second major automaker to sign on, with Honda, Mazda and Subaru all considering a similar move. QNX Software Systems and UIEvolution, both automotive suppliers, have also signed on. Adoption of SDL by Toyota (and others) is seen as a win for automakers who want to keep the development of these systems in the hands of car manufacturers, rather than letting it fall to tech companies whose primary focus is outside of the automotive realm. Ford and Toyota claims this will allow each automaker to customize the interface to best take advantage of its unique hardware while still supporting what they hope will become a widespread (if not universal) standard. Perhaps more importantly, this is a signal to Apple and Google that they and their partners are not universally welcome in the automotive tech sector. It's also bad news for buyers who are hoping to see in-dash tech evolve into an extension of advanced smartphones, rather than continuing to be developed in parallel. Jan 4, 2016, 9:26am ET GM, Lyft partner to create on-demand autonomous vehicles GM is getting into the ride sharing business. Following closely on the heels of rumors that Ford is planning partner with tech giant Google, General Motors has announced a new alliance with ride sharing service Lyft. The partnership will work to create a fleet of on-demand autonomous vehicles. "We see the future of personal mobility as connected, seamless and autonomous, said GM President Dan Ammann. "With GM and Lyft working together, we believe we can successfully implement this vision more rapidly. Per the terms of the deal, GM will invest $500 million in Lyft. In return, the Detroit-based automaker will receive a seat on the company's board of directors. One of the key elements of the strategic alliance will be the "joint development of a network of on-demand autonomous vehicles. Although no further details were given, it sounds as if GM is keen to get in on the ground floor of the robotic taxi industry. More immediately, GM will become the preferred vehicle provider to Lyft drivers through rental hubs located throughout the United States. Terms of the rental deal were not revealed, but GM says Lyft will be able to tap into its OnStar telematics system. The two sides also plan to "provide each other's customers with personalized mobility services and experiences through their respective channels. An Allentown store owner who caught two burglars as they were leaving stopped one by hitting him in the head with a big stick, police said. The owner of Reyes Deli and Grocery, 116 N. Eighth St. in Allentown, stopped a burglar by using a big stick, police said. (Google Maps image) The owner of Reyes Deli and Grocery, 116 N. Eighth St., got to the store Saturday afternoon and found the door open, police said. Ramon Serrata then saw bags stuffed with stolen items sitting outside the door, police said. A man walked out of the store, followed by a second man, later identified as Stanley Soto, police said. The 47-year-old Soto tried to run, but Serrata hit him in the head with a large stick, police said. When officers arrived, they found Soto bleeding from the right side of his head, and he was taken to St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown for treatment, police said. Soto, whose address was not listed in court paperwork, is charged with burglary, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property. Soto was sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. It won't be easy to try Tchella Bellamy for shooting two people in Wilson Borough. Police have a grainy surveillance video of the shooting, a video Bellamy's attorney suggests is too unfocused to identify him. They have one witness who said the 20-year-old Easton man pulled the trigger but that witness refused to point him out at his preliminary hearing. The victims, Shane Walden and Lahteek Smith, have refused to cooperate with police. Each was 22 on July 20, 2014, during the shooting on a porch at 1505 Washington St. Both men are from New York. As tough as the case will be to prosecute, the alternative -- dropping the charges -- is unacceptable, according to Assistant District Attorney Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen. "It is really important that we go to trial on this case despite the victims or witnesses who do not wish to cooperate," she said. "We can't back down so I'm preparing for trial." Jury selection in Bellamy's trial will be Monday, Jan. 4. Mulqueen expects the trial to wrap up in two days. Police believe the shooting was drug-related. The home where Bellamy allegedly shot the men had been raided two months earlier in a drug sweep. Bellamy was a fugitive until police found him hiding in a Phillipsburg home in October 2014. Chynna Ravitz, the woman who refused to point out Bellamy at the preliminary hearing, is expected to testify at the trial. Wilson Borough police Detective Jason Hillis said neighbor Maureen Duarte identified the shooter as "Tchell Bell," but Duarte didn't testify in person at the preliminary hearing. Bellamy's attorney, James Brose, unsuccessfully attempted to have the case against Bellamy thrown out due to lack of evidence. Bellamy had been charged with serving as a lookout during an August 2014 assault in Northampton County Prison, but those charges were dismissed, according to the online court docket. One of Bellamy's elementary school teachers in northern New Jersey said Bellamy had a difficult upbringing with a mother in prison, an absent father and little love or encouragement. The teacher, Liza Torres-Stephens, said Bellamy tried to burn his school down in seventh grade. She believes more should be done to help poor and parentless youths like Bellamy before they turn to lives of crime. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. UPDATE: Services are Friday for airman with local ties, killed in Afghanistan The body of a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant, who was killed Dec. 21 in Afghanistan, is being brought Monday to the Lehigh Valley, where his wife's family lives. This photo provided by Arlene Wagner and made in October 2015, shows her son, Air Force Staff Sgt. Peter Taub. (Arlene Wagner via AP) Peter W. Taub, 30, of Wyncote, Pennsylvania, was one of six service members killed by a suicide bomber. He was married to 2006 Easton Area High School graduate Christina Taub, whose family lives in Lower Saucon Township. Taub body's is being brought from Dover, Delaware, Air Force Base to the Finegan Funeral Home at 4080 William Penn Highway in Palmer Township, according to a Facebook posting provided by Brittany Cuciti, who is engaged to marry Peter Taub's wife's brother. The route is the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Route 22 East to Route 33 South to William Penn Highway east to the funeral home. As of late Sunday night, it was expected the procession would be at the Lehigh Valley turnpike interchange between 1 and 1:15 p.m. Local emergency personnel are expected to salute the fallen airman along the way. A Patriot Guard Riders and Rolling Thunder motorcycle detail planned to accompany Taub and family members to the Lehigh Valley, the posting says. The funeral home will be advised when the transport is about a half hour away, an employee said Monday morning. Funeral details have yet to be completed, she said. The posting asked people who want to view the procession to safely stand on bridges or hillsides and display the flag "to show his wife the respect we have for a hero who gave his life so we can enjoy the freedom we have." Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Escorted by Pennsylvania State Police and motorcyclists braving frigid conditions, the U.S. Air Force on Monday brought the remains of one of its own to Palmer Township to be lain to rest. Air Force Staff Sgt. Peter W. Taub, 30, was one of six U.S. troops killed in a suicide bombing Dec. 21 near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. It was the deadliest attack on American military personnel serving in Afghanistan since 2013. Taub lived in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia, and was married to 2006 Easton Area High School graduate Christina Taub, whose family lives in Lower Saucon Township. Lehigh Valley firefighters adorned the procession route Monday with American flags, from Route 22 down Route 33 to William Penn Highway, where Finegan Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Services will begin with a viewing 9 to 11 a.m. Friday at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 330 Ferry St. in Easton, the church of Taub's family. The funeral service is 11 a.m., with the church's Rev. Susan Ruggles presiding, said Dave Williams, funeral director at Finegan. A handful of motorcyclists from the Lehigh Valley left about dawn Monday to go to Dover Air Force Base to accompany to Palmer Township the cremation casket containing Taub's remains. Temperatures didn't make it out of the 20s as the Patriot Guard Riders, Rolling Thunder and Warriors' Watch Riders motorcycle detail accompanied the procession north on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (Interstate 476) to Route 22. "But you don't think about that," said Nancy Wolf, who rode with her husband, Robert Wolf, joining the procession at Route 22. "We're doing this for a reason." "Just to honor one of our fallen heroes," Glenn Hoffert, of Lower Saucon Township, said about why he, too, joined the escort at the turnpike interchange. Hoffert and the Wolfs, of Hellertown, got involved through the Edward H. Ackerman American Legion Post 397 in Hellertown, where they are members. A service member for eight years, who had recently re-enlisted, Taub was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and based at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. He was the father of a 3-year-old girl, and his wife is expecting their second child. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. andorid-smart-phone.jpg Healthcare consumers in the Lehigh Valley may soon be able to use their smartphones to consult with their doctors, in lieu of an office visit. (Express-Times file photo) When you or your child comes down with a cold or the flu, where do you go -- to the doctor's office or your smartphone? Increasingly, some consumers are opting to "see" a physician for common illnesses through telemedicine -- a remote consultation using a phone app or via a tablet or personal computer. St. Luke's University Health Network is planning to introduce a statewide, 24-hour telemedicine service that will allow people to consult with a health-care provider through Skype, Apple FaceTime or similar real-time connection. "During a live, on-screen video visit, a doctor evaluates, diagnoses and treats the patient's condition and also prescribes medication if needed," St. Luke's said in announcing the service. According to Teladoc, the largest U.S. telemedicine provider, 15 healthcare plans are now employing the service, and 15 million people used it in 2014. Insurers and hospitals like it because it reduces hospital stays and cuts costs. The average cost of an online consultation is $50, compared to $80 for an office visit, Teladoc says. Not everyone is sold on the idea. Some say doctors can't diagnose all symptoms without a hands-on check of a patient, and they shouldn't be prescribing medicine in a virtual visit. The state of Texas has challenged Teladoc, but so far the courts have sided with the company. Other states are developing regulations that could limit the service; others are taking a wait and see approach. St. Luke's calls its service St. Luke's Anywhere. It will be available in Pennsylvania for patients 18 years or older and patients 12 or older when accompanied by a guardian. A $49 fee is paid by credit card at the time of service. The health network says the service is for common illnesses such as sore throats, fever, ear aches, coughs, headaches, diarrhea and skin rashes. It will be available for download from the iTunes App Store, Google Play or from the St. Luke's University Health Network website. What do you think? Is telemedicine a breakthrough convenience for consumers -- or the healthcare and insurance industries' latest attempt to stretch resources and cut costs? Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to join the conversation in the comments section. Would you use such a service in a pinch, or on a regular basis? Have you used the service elsewhere? A 47-year-old Upper Mount Bethel Township man pointed a gun at a woman during a domestic disturbance on Saturday evening and said, "I should kill you," Pennsylvania State Police report in court papers. Carl Gene Bartron Jr. , 47, of Upper Mount Bethel Township, choked a woman the evening of Jan. 2, 2016, police say. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) Troopers responding about 7 p.m. to the 300 block of Decker Ferry Road met the victim, who told them Carl Gene Bartron Jr. and she had been arguing, police said. Bartron went to a bedroom to retrieve a handgun and she told him she would call police to tell them he had a gun in the house, court papers say. She went past Bartron onto the porch to try and defuse the situation, police said. Bartron turned around, pointed the gun at her and made the threat, police said. She called police and Bartron headed toward a shed, picked up a metal tin and went south along railroad tracks, police said. He returned to the home then drove off in a Toyota, police said. He was taken into custody in Portland, police said. Bartron was arraigned late Saturday night before on-call District Judge James Narlesky on charges of possession of a firearm by someone prohibited from doing so, simple assault, terrorist threats and harassment, court records say. Bartron was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail, court papers say. He remained jailed on Monday morning, online records show. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 10 a.m. Jan. 15 in Senior District Judge Sherwood Grigg's court in Bangor. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. When he was in Paris to receive the award, he made it clear in his speech that the terror of the Syrian regime was only showed on pictures, and insisted that in such cases where a whole people suffers from a dictatorship, the need for help is constant. His only wish is to continue the revolution: he has watched it from the start and it is still active today. He is now a freelance reporter for AFP. The picture that received the prize was exhibited until October the 11th, along with many other photographs by other laureates, at the Arab World Institute in Paris. In his speech, Baraa insisted on dedicating the prize to Syrians who took part in the Revolution, as if to remind the world that it is not short-lived, and it is still going on. One of the adverse effects of the awful General Election result has been a significant drop in Party income, as we are now of much less interest to potential donors and people who wish to exhibit and hold fringe meetings at Conference. That means that we have to look at radical measures to cut costs so that we can deliver the maximum political effect on our reduced income. One area we should look at very closely is the location of Party HQ and whether we need have staff in an expensive central London location. The easy answer would be to move to another, cheaper London base, but that in my view would be a mistake we should be asking if most of our staff need to be in London at all or whether they could be based somewhere else, where rents and salaries are lower. Without a detailed knowledge of who does what at HQ it is difficult to know how many people we would need to keep in London the press team of course and anyone who needs daily personal contact with Tim and the MPs. But looking at the latest organisation chart it is difficult to see why the people who work on IT and digital, compliance, conference, Membership and Finance need to be in London. Where we should base a new HQ is another question it needs to be on a good train line to London as there will still be a need for people to go to and from the capital and in a big enough city to be able to attract a good range of capable staff. ALDC seems to operate pretty well from Manchester or perhaps being based in Bristol would send a good message about our commitment to retaking our SW seats. We cannot of course avoid the human impact that such a move would have which it why it should ideally have been done in conjunction with the recent restructuring exercise at HQ but there is never a right time for such a move and with 4 and a half years to go until the next election and the lease on Great George St coming up for renewal now is the time for us to take decisive action to lower our cost base. * Simon McGrath is a Councillor in Wimbledon and a directly elected member of the Federal Board. The summer of 2014 was a particularly busy one. In addition to the usual constituency and regional based activities I was also engaged in a series of meetings with the Finance Minister and her officials in an effort to get a budget deal for the Welsh Liberal Democrats. The history of these deals has been chequered during this fourth Assembly. Labour do not have a majority so they need the support of at least one other party to get their budget through. They will not deal with the Conservatives so that just leaves two other possible partners. At first, the Labour Government had it made. They negotiated with both the Welsh Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru, and played one off against the other. In their first budget, they struck a deal with the Welsh Lib Dems and as a result, the pupil deprivation grant was born. In the second they did a deal with Plaid Cymru, who secured a two year investment in apprenticeships. By the time of the third budget, I had had enough of being played and of Labour being let off the hook. I proposed to Plaid Cymru that we work together so as to give Labour Ministers no other options. I also suggested that we should not settle for less than 100 million being spent on the key priorities of both parties and that we do the deal before the draft budget has been published so as to avoid having to unpick other spending plans. And so in 2013 I spent a very productive summer in meetings alongside Plaid Cymrus Jocelyn Davies, talking to the Finance Minister and with respective party leaders setting out our stall and fighting for important investment in key policy areas. The result was a significant increase in the Pupil Deprivation Grant and the creation of a 50 million Intermediate Care Fund to stimulate closer working between health and social services. In 2014, Plaid Cymru decided that they did not wish to repeat this exercise, thus leaving the field open to the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Once more the Labour Government had nobody else they could talk to. Nevertheless, we had to be conscious of the difficult financial position and ensure that we were not unreasonable in our demands. We also wanted to make sure that we would not be associated with any particularly difficult issues. Thus when halfway through the talks we were approached by the training sector to say that apprenticeship funding was likely to be cut, we had to adjust our stance to try and salvage this money. We also wanted to avoid signing up to the controversial extension of the M4 around Newport, which we were opposed to. Finally, we were keen to avoid going through this process in the run-up to an Assembly election and so was happy to consider a two-year deal, which would provide some stability for the Welsh Government, whilst also ensuring the longevity of our deal up to and beyond those elections. As a result we agreed to a two year deal, worth 223m, to allow the Welsh Governments budget to pass in exchange for the implementation of Welsh Liberal Democrat policies. This meant that we would abstain on the budget, as we still could not support everything in it, including the substantial cut in local council funding. Our support was for our policies not the budget as a whole. The deal meant that the Welsh Liberal Democrats secured: an increase in the Pupil Premium (aka Pupil Deprivation Grant): in 2016/17 each school will receive 1,150 for every pupil eligible to receive free schools; the extension of the Pupil Premium to include under 5s, worth 300 per pupil on free school meals; a Young Persons Bus Pass for 16-18 year olds worth nearly 15m; funding for around 5,000 new apprenticeships; 95m capital investment in infrastructure that will provide a strong boost to jobs and the economy; an agreement that no construction of the M4 relief road will start before the next Assembly elections alongside a detailed Environmental Impact Study; Extra childcare investment for further education students in Wales who are parents, investing in a pilot scheme promoted by the National Union of Students. Of course this deal meant that our influence on any unexpected issues arising in this years budget was limited. So we had to resort to conventional political pressure tactics to head-off threats to key programmes. So over the last few months we have been pressing for more money for social services, further investment in the Intermediate Care Fund negotiated by us two years ago, and for supporting people funding to be protected. All of that was delivered in the draft budget, as was a much improved settlement for local government, albeit there will still be cuts to that funding. How this process works itself out for budgets in the next Assembly has to be seen, but for now I believe we have demonstrated that, despite being the smallest party, we have through effective negotiation and partnership working, been capable of hitting above our weight and getting many of our policies put into effect. * Peter Black is the Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales West and is the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Local Government, Heritage, Housing and Finance. As has become obvious to anyone who has read a newspaper or watched a news channel over the past 5 years, the NHS is straining under the weight of demand. With accident and emergency departments swamped, critical staffing levels and insufficient number of beds the national health provider is struggling to provide the excellent level of care that it is famed for. Alongside this, within the social services sector a perfect storm of an aging population, increased numbers of people living with long-term conditions, squeezed local authority budgets, discrepancies between the fees paid by private clients and local councils, high staff turnover and increased overhead costs has meant that for both systems the current situation is completely unsustainable.[Care Management Matters, September 2015, p 24] While the government has already committed to increased spending on the NHS by 10bn per year in real terms by 2020/21 social care falls under the budget of local services and so they will continue to wither on the vine. As mentioned in a previous article, Why we should care about Care both services work hand-in-hand, and a true integration could see money saved, lives improved and pressure reduced on both the NHS and local councils and their social services. Just as mental health must be treated in the same manner as we treat physical health, social services must be treated in the same manner as health services. As with mental health, ongoing social services needs and care within the community are often overlooked or perform badly in the result-based systems that funding-justifications rely upon because they cant be easily quantified. While the costs of fixing a broken leg can be quantified in terms of staffing costs for A&E, cast material costs, rental of crutches and physiotherapy costs, the long-term costs for someone coping with a psychological illness are near impossible to calculate due to the nature of the cost-variables they present. As as a party we need to be the champion of social care and social services, not just because they are needed but because they present the clearest choice for the promotion of an individuals long term liberty. Rather than side-lining patients whose problems cant be fixed within a prescribed formula, increased care in the community and improved social services can allow for more personally-tailored care packages. Rather than after-care being conducted through follow-up appointments at hospitals or doctors surgeries, many can be undertaken within a persons home alleviating pressure on NHS services. It is not only the liberty of the patients who are effected but of the personal carers too. Our country relies on a silent army of them, many of them unpaid, who are currently averting the crisis the lack of resources in community care and in local social services will bring. During the General Election campaign both Labour and the Conservatives were quick to back the needs to the NHS. Let the Liberal Democrats be the party that backs social services too. * Ian Thomas is the pseudonym for a party member. His identity is known to the Lib Dem Voice editorial team. Willie Rennie kicks off election year in Scotland by setting out the case for a bright, green liberal Scotland. Speaking on a visit to a factory in his Fife constituency, he said: The last five years in the Scottish Parliament have been dominated by independence. The next five years should be dominated by a bright, green and liberal programme for Scotland: With Scotland returning to work today it should signal a change of focus for our parliament: its time to get on with the day job. Children and young people deserve a good quality education with nursery education and a pupil premium to give every child a chance of a good job. Yet under the SNP, Scotlands once proud education system has slipped in the world standing. People deserve a good quality health service with better mental health services and more GPs. Yet under the SNP theres long waits to see a GP or get mental health treatment they need. The planet must be protected, with action on climate change including warmer homes and better public transport. Yet under the SNP Scotland has missed our own climate change targets. Our traditional Scottish freedoms must be protected including power transferred to local communities and trusting police, nurses, doctors and teachers to do their job. Yet under the SNP weve seen armed police, excessive stop and search, power stripped from local communities and hoarded in Edinburgh. With just five MSPs in Parliament Liberal Democrats have punched above our weight. Just imagine what we can do with more. We need more strong liberal voices in parliament to advance that bright, green and liberal parliament. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. A craft beer made with ingredients from kefir a fermented milk drink that resembles yogurt may sound a little gross. But drinking it could bring health benefits, a new study done in rats suggests. Moreover, the researchers in Brazil found that the "kefir beer" seemed to reduce inflammation and stomach ulcers that had been induced in the rats for the study. Although the concept of kefir beer is interesting, it is too early to determine whether these health benefits would apply to humans, considering the study was done in an animal model, said Dr. Arun Swaminath, director of the inflammatory bowel disease program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, who was not involved in the study. "It is a very preliminary study," Swaminath told Live Science. To make the kefir beer, the researchers added kefir grains white or yellowish gelatinous clumps that contain bacteria and yeast to a barley malt. The bacteria and yeast fermented the malt. For a control group, they also brewed another, regular kind of beer, where, instead of adding kefir grains, they added yeast to ferment the malt. In one experiment in the study, the researchers induced inflammation in the hind paws of 48 rats by giving them a compound called carrageenan, which is sometimes used a food additive, but is known to promote inflammation. [7 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health] The researchers then divided the rats into six groups, with eight rats each, and gave them one of the following: kefir beer, kefir, regular beer, water, ethanol or an anti-inflammatory drug. They found the kefir, kefir beer and regular beer all reduced the inflammation. However, when the researchers compared the effects of the two beers, they found that the kefir beer reduced the inflammation by about 48 percent, whereas the regular beer reduced it by 28 percent. In a separate experiment, in which the researchers induced inflammation in the rats with a different pro-inflammatory compound called histamine, the inflammation was reduced by 76 percent in those rats that were given kefir beer. Conversely, in the rats that were given regular beer, the inflammation was only reduced by about 4 percent. In another group of 48 rats, the researchers induced stomach ulcers with alcohol, and then made the rats fast for a day. This time, they found that treating the rats with kefir, kefir beer or regular beer all resulted in significant reduction of ulcers. However, the effects of the kefir beer and kefir alone were both greater than those of regular beer, the researchers said. Moreover, when the researchers added some kefiran, a type of molecule made by kefir grains, to the regular beer, and gave the drink to the animals, the ulcers "virtually disappeared," the researchers wrote in the study, published in the upcoming March issue of the Journal of Functional Foods. The beneficial effects of the kefir beer may have something to do with the combination of individual health benefits associated with its respective main components, according to the study. For example, previous research has suggested that nutrients called polyphenols, which are found in beer, may have anti-inflammatory qualities. Studies in animals have suggested that kefir may have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and wound-healing properties, the researchers said. The new research was funded by the Foundation for Research Support of the State of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Follow Agata Blaszczak-Boxe on Twitter. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. Neanderthal remains were found, along with a plinth of sediment, in Shanidar Cave in Iraq. As the terrorist group ISIS is pushed out of northern Iraq, archaeologists are resuming work in the region, making new discoveries and figuring out how to conserve archaeological sites and reclaim looted antiquities. Several discoveries, including new Neanderthal skeletal remains, have been made at Shanidar Cave, a site in Iraqi Kurdistan that was inhabited by Neanderthals more than 40,000 years ago. Additionally, though ISIS did destroy and loot a great number of sites, there are several ways for archaeologists, scientific institutions, governments and law enforcement agencies in North America and Europe to help save the region's heritage, said Dlshad Marf Zamua, a Kurdish archaeologist and doctoral student at Leiden University in the Netherlands. [Photos: Restoring Life to Iraq's Ruined Artifacts] He criticized antiquity dealers who are benefiting financially from ISIS' looting and destruction, calling on authorities in North America and Europe to prevent those dealers from selling northern Iraq's heritage. "It was said that war was created for selling weapons, but in the situation of our area, the war was created for selling weapons, oil and antiquity objects," Marf Zamua said. New research Neanderthal skeleton remains were recently discovered at Shanidar Cave in northern Iraq. (Image credit: Photo courtesy of Graeme Barker ) Before ISIS moved into Iraq in the summer of 2014, scientists with 45 foreign missions from 16 countries were conducting archaeological excavations and surveys in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, said Marf Zamua. Over the past few months, Kurdish forces have gone on the offensive and, with support from allied air strikes, are pushing ISIS out of the region. And archaeologists are returning to the area, including at Shanidar Cave. This cave was originally excavated between 1952 and 1960 by a team led by archaeologist Ralph Solecki from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The archaeologists at that time found several Neanderthal skeletons and pollen remains suggesting that the Neanderthals placed flowers in graves before burial. In an article recently published in the journal Antiquity, a team that has recently returned to Shanidar Cave reported finding additional Neanderthal bones, "including a hamate [a wrist bone], the distal ends of the right tibia and fibula, and some articulated ankle bones, scattered fragments of two vertebrae, a rib and long bone fragments." The newfound bones are likely from one of the Neanderthals that archaeologists dug up in the 1950s, said University of Cambridge archaeologist Graeme Barker, who is part of the research team. He said that as excavations continue, new Neanderthal skeletons may be found. Additionally the team's research is shedding light on the environment in the cave where the Neanderthals lived. For instance, scientists reporting in another paper published in the journal Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology found that bees were transporting pollen into the cave. This complicates the idea that Neanderthals in the cave buried their dead with flowers, suggesting instead that pollen remains from flowers could have entered the cave through natural means. Shanidar Cave and the flowers that grow beside it today. (Image credit: Photo courtesy of Dlshad Marf Zamua) Protecting heritage When ISIS took over parts of northern Iraq, the group began looting and destroying archaeological sites such as ancient Assyrian cities like Nimrud. After bulldozing these cities, but before blasting them, ISIS looted thousands of artifacts from the sites, Marf Zamua said. "Thousands of objects reached the black markets over the world." Additionally, many unexcavated "Tell" (mound) sites were also bulldozed, looted and blasted. Those sites contained artifacts that have not yet been excavated. There "are hidden treasure [within these mounds], and by losing any of them, we lose an important part of history and civilization of Mesopotamia," Marf Zamua said. In addition to curtailing the black market, scientific organizations in the West can help train Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian archaeologists in conservation techniques, Marf Zamua said. "Institutes can offer local archaeologists scholarships in restoration, protecting heritage and museum studies," he said. Additionally, in Erbil (the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan), the Iraqi Institute for the conservation of Antiquities and Heritage offers "courses taught by specialists in conservation of all types of objects, materials and architecture," said Marf Zamua. Volunteer guest lecturers from universities and museums in the West help teach the courses. Those with professional expertise who are willing to travel to Erbil could contact the institute and offer to volunteer, Marf Zamua said, noting that the institute provides accommodations and food free of charge. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Press Releases By Phil Andrews Published: January 04 2016 On Friday, January 1, 2016 the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.s Queens County Director Erna Blackman was featured in Long Island Business News Mover and Shakers Column highlighting her recent appointment to ... Queens, NY - January 3, 2015 - On Friday, January 1, 2016 the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.s Queens County Director Erna Blackman was featured in Long Island Business News Mover and Shakers Column highlighting her recent appointment to LIAACCS board of directors as the Queens County Director. To view the recent feature click on link here Queens County has a significant number of African Americans in the borough who will benefit significantly from a chamber of commerce of this size and magnitude which has the ability to increase the success ratio of the small business owners in its jurisdiction. Phil Andrews, President, Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. About: Erna Blackman LIAACC Queens County Director/Founder, Butterflies, BBI, Inc. Erna Blackman was born in Queens and attended Grace Lutheran Elementary School in Malvern, NY. In 1984, she graduated from Jamaica High School and subsequently received a BA in journalism from Delaware State University. In 2012, she founded Butterflies BBI, which is a nonprofit organization that provides free hair replacements and solutions to children with medical hair loss. At Butterflies BBI, a special interest is given to inner-city children as they are a group that is often overlooked. Blackman is married and the mother of two children. The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is humbled by Erna Blackman decision to serve as Queens County Director of the Chamber. Erna Blackman brings a level of commitment, discipline, and business acumen that will provide a boost to LIAACCS mission in the county. Phil Andrews, President, Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. About: Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. - The Mission of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc., is to advance and promote economic development for business, and to advance responsive government and quality education on the behalf of all small businesses, with emphasis on African Ancestry, while preserving the Long Island community." Long Island means the New York State counties on Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Kings. A Chamber of Commerce is one of the most well-known and recognizable organizations in the country chartered to stimulate business in local and regional areas where they are designated to serve. To view recent segment of WABC Here and Now featuring the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. click on link here (Embedded code for video listed at this link) For more information regarding membership, corporate sponsorship opportunities, or to be placed on the Email list of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. email or call 347-475-7158. You may also log on to www.liaacc.org for online membership or to contact the chamber. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases The Libyan province of the caliphate issued versions of this statement in Arabic and English earlier today. The Islamic States so-called province in Libya has launched a new offensive and claims to have captured a town on the Mediterranean coast. The soldiers of the Khilafah [caliphate] managed to take complete control over the coastal city of Bin Jawad, the Islamic States Wilayat Barqat (or province) said in a short statement released online earlier today. The blessed operations come during the battle of Sheikh Abdul Mugirah al Qahtani (May Allah accept him), and all praise is due to Allah, master of the universe, the statement continued. In a concurrent operation, the caliphates fighters attacked the port town of Al Sidr, which is approximately 20 miles away from Bin Jawad and home to one of Libyas largest oil ports. One or more suicide bombers may have initiated the assault after they struck guard positions with car bombs. Photos posted on social media appear to show the wreckage caused by their blasts, but the images have not yet been verified. The status of the fighting in Al Sidr is also not clear as of this writing. Separately, the jihadists set fire to a storage tank at an oil facility in Ras Lanuf, another port that houses an oil refinery. Libyas rival factions have long fought over access to Ras Lanuf. Bin Jawad, Al Sidr and Ras Lanuf are all in the district of Sirte. The Islamic States Libyan arm took over much of the city of Sirte last year, turning it into an operational hub. Bin Jawad is also a short drive from the town of Nawfaliyah, which the caliphates men overran in March 2015. [See LWJ report, Islamic State province in Libya claims capture of town.] The Islamic States Libyan branch has repeatedly targeted the countrys oil infrastructure, some of which has been shut down for months or longer because of the violence. As in Iraq and Syria, the caliphate seeks to control key Libyan oil fields, refineries, ports and other facilities. It remains to be seen if todays attacks, which are testing local security forces, lead to further advances. Abu Bakr al Baghdadis followers in Libya have named their new offensive after Sheikh Abdul Mugirah al Qahtani, who was identified in an issue of Dabiq magazine released last September as the head of the Islamic States province in the country. [See LWJ report, In Dabiq magazine, Islamic State complains about jihadist rivals in Libya.] In his interview with Dabiq, Qahtani complained bitterly about the Islamic States jihadist rivals in Libya, including the leaders of Ansar al Sharia. Qahtani said Ansar al Sharias leaders are close to their counterparts in Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which opposes the Islamic States expansion in North Africa. Qahtani promised that the caliphates opponents will continue to be a target for our swords, which we will not hold back until they repent. Qahtanis true identity has always been murky, as he was not clearly identified in the Islamic States propaganda. CNN reported in November 2014 that an Islamic State leader known as Abu Nabil al Anbari, a jihadist veteran who was imprisoned with Baghdadi in Iraq, had been dispatched to Libya to oversee the groups efforts. The Wall Street Journal offered a similar account, saying that Anbari was an ex-Iraqi policeman. The Defense Department announced in November 2015 that Anbari was killed in a US airstrike in Libya. Anbari (also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al Zubaydi) may have been the spokesman in an Islamic State video showing the execution of Coptic Christians in February 2015, according to the Pentagon. Anbaris death will degrade [the Islamic States] ability to meet the groups objectives in Libya, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook claimed at the time. Cook said the organizations objectives include recruiting newmembers, establishing bases in Libya, and planning external attacks on the United States. In December 2015, the Pentagon claimed to confirm Anbaris death, describing him as a longtime al Qaeda operative and the senior [Islamic State] leader in Libya. The airstrike that purportedly killed him was the first US strike against an [Islamic State] leader in Libya. It is possible that Abdul Mugirah al Qahtani and Abu Nabil al Anbari were the same Islamic State official, but that has not been confirmed. Their aliases indicate different countries of origin (Anbari refers to Iraq, while Qahtani is generally used by jihadists from the Arabian Peninsula), but the jihadists often adopt new pseudonyms for various reasons. Regardless, the Islamic State, like al Qaeda, has proven to be adept at replacing fallen leaders. And Qahtanis death did not stop the jihadists latest advances on Libyas coast. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Qatar Airways Commences First Daily Flight Los Angeles to Doha The new route features the airline's landmark Boeing 777-200 and represents Qatar Airways' first passenger service to the West Coast of the United States. The expansion to LAX is the first of three new US destinations planned for 2016, along with Boston (BOS) on March 16th and Atlanta (ATL) on June 1st.The first arrival to Los Angeles was recognised with a special gate ceremony, celebrating the passengers on the historic flight. The airline will officially celebrate the new Los Angeles route on January 12th, when Mr. Al Baker will host a press conference and a star-studded VIP gala.The LAX launch comes as Qatar Airways continues to expand operations in the United States and around the world. In addition to new launches in Boston and Atlanta, the airline is enhancing existing services along its successful US routes. On December 8th, Qatar Airways brought the state-of-the-art Airbus A350, the airliner of the next decade, to American shores for the first time. The airline commenced a regularly-scheduled daily A350 service on January 1st to Philadelphia, and Qatar Airways will also begin a A350 service along a second route between New York and Doha in April.The DOHA LOS ANGELES daily schedule (effective January 1, 2016)Depart Doha QR739 at 0745 hrs, arrive Los Angeles at 1310 hrsDepart Los Angeles QR740 at 1510 hrs, arrive Doha at 1810 hrs the following dayVisit website: Interview with Emile Majdalani, Commercial Director of Chateau Kefraya Lets start with the current situation with regards to the wine industry in Lebanon. What are the main trends for 2015 and 2016 when it comes to wine in Lebanon? The trend in Lebanon is that there is certainly more and more interest in wine in general. The increase in the number of wineries proves this. At the same time, the economy is quite difficult, basically because of the situation around Lebanon that is absolutely catastrophic Having said that we have lived tougher times than this so we are used to it; we are used to always manage to work, to harvest and to give birth to every vintage. It is the story of Lebanon, at the end of the day it has never really been stable. I have to admit that the last years have been particularly difficult locally. But we tend to balance things and to compensate with our exports that are doing very well. There have been entries of new wine producers. How is it affecting the overall competitiveness of the country? It is good for the country in general because it means Lebanon becomes a major wine-producing country. It is important for Lebanon to have an increase in the number of wineries to become a real player on the international wine scene. 50 years ago, there were only 5 or 6 wineries and now there are about 45. This creates variety and an additional interest; specifically when the wine is good, it is a strength for the industry I think. How does Chateau Kefraya fit into the picture? What have been the developments since 2012? There have been a lot of developments. Actually at Kefraya we have been reworking the whole range over the last years. We have been lifting our labels but also creating new wines because we looked at the range and questioned ourselves. We saw where there were opportunities, for example our entry level Les Breteches that is internationally known is now declined into three colours: we have Les Breteches red, white and rose. This is added value for the brand certainly. We had the Chateau Kefraya and the Breteches; the Chateau being a full bodied, high end wine and Les Breteches the entry level, fruity and easy to drink. There was some space in between for an intermediary red wine and that is why we created Les Coteaux that is a slightly wooden red wine with new varieties introduced like Marselan and Cabernet Franc and thus a different specificity. So as I said, we have been reworking the range and expanding it to meet a wider range of consumers all over the world. What has been the reaction from the consumers? Even if in a given year we have 50% less in production (which is the case of 2015), we will never compensate with purchases and this is a very important element of our philosophy. The reaction has been that our exports have developed a lot, for example in the United States we are now present in above 25 states, among which California, Pennsylvania, New York and Florida. The French market which is our number 1 market has been developed a lot as well. Historically we were first sold in the Lebanese restaurants, but today we are being well established in the classical French market, namely in high-end local restaurants, liquor stores. We had entered about 25 export markets in 2010, today we are present in 40. Since our production is limited (we do not buy grapes and only use only our own terroirs harvest), we must select our channels carefully when conquering a new market. We always go through the best channels and to the middle-to-high-end restaurants and liquor stores, more than the off-trade and supermarkets, because we dont have the volumes for that. Even if in a given year we have 50% less in production (which is the case of 2015), we will never compensate with purchases and this is a very important element of our philosophy. We grow and take care of every grape dedicated to our wines. Chateau Kefraya Apart from the expansion in the United States, is there any other specific market that you are looking into right now? India interests us a lot and China as well. We think this will come with time. We already export a little bit to these wine-emerging countries and it is just a matter of time. Again, our production is limited so the scope is not infinite. We produce today 1.3 million bottles, which is not small relatively to Lebanon, but the wine range is wide and diverse and we work every label with a boutique winery spirit. Is the priority export destination the United States? Where do you think you have to focus your attention? There are markets like Great Britain, France and the U.S., where it is certainly important image-wise to be solidly present. Chateau Kefrayas choices in terms of exports are directed to markets where there is an interest in lets not say New World wines but more Ancient World wines; since Lebanon - as a wine-growing territory - is indeed part of the ancient world. As you might know 5,000 years ago we used to grow vines in Lebanon, our ancestors, the Phoenicians, used to even export their wine to Egypt, it is a very old tradition here. We recently discovered a Roman mill in Kefraya that is filled with historical vestiges Each year you designate a different local artist to draft the design of one of your products; could you tell us more about that? Also what do you do locally to distinguish yourselves? Actually art and culture has always been associated with the brand, because we simply believe that wine and art are intimately related. Our founder and owner Michel de Bustros is very passionate about opera, paintings and art in general. There is reference to art in our different labels. Since last year, we decided to move the experience further and to give total liberty to an artist to design a label for our red wine Les Breteches. It is a special and limited edition, which we launch for every vintage with a new innovative Lebanese artist. Last year it was with painter and illustrator Mazen Kerbaj. This year it is Yazan Halwani, a young and unique street artist that paints murals that are very well known in Beiruts streets. He normally does portraits of people of Lebanese culture who had a positive influence on the city of Beirut. He merges the portraits to his own pattern of calligraphy. His painting for Les Breteches was called Bakhos, which is the Arabic name for Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, that has deep ties with the Bekaa Valleys culture. It was a message. Lets touch upon your oenotourism program at your premises. We know you added new activities for the visitors. Yes it has been developed a lot recently. Our restaurant Le Relais Dionysos has always existed and we have developed more wine-educational activities. A person today could come to Kefraya and easily spend a whole day learning and getting the feel of the winery. Today we go more in depth in explaining our winemaking-approach, we take visitors to our terroir; we show them the vines and the difference between the different soils and grape varieties. The scope has been widened a lot in spite of the situation, because it has been quite difficult to invest in these times, especially in the Bekaa Valley, as people sometimes think that it is unsafe to go there. This is actually not true; the West Bekaa is quite stable and there is no real danger in going there You allegedly plan to build a hotel in the near future. We planned to build a boutique hotel so that people could spend the night in Kefraya. We still have this project in mind but we decided to postpone it a little bit until the situation becomes more stable, which is something we hope for but that is not in our hands. What is your strategic vision for the winery? We have a limited terroir and thus a limited amount of grapes. Even if we acquired more lands, they would have to necessarily be within the boundaries of the Kefraya commune because we work like an AOC (Appellation dOrigine Controlee), although there is no AOC-system in Lebanon yet. In spite of that, we impose this rigor on ourselves for the sake of quality and most of all, to respect our own terroirs inherent expression. The strategic vision is not to remain a leading winery in Lebanon, but to build a strong reputation among the worlds most authentic and greatest wineries. What distinguishes Kefraya amongst the growing number of producers? In Kefraya and for every single vintage, we do a lot of research. Lately we have been digging huge pedologic holes on the terroirs different spots to study its geological history and to better understand the differences in soils composition. Within one single parcel for example, you have a huge variety in terms of terroir potentials. Defining these micro-parcels allowed us to be more accurate in the way we allocate the grapes to each wine. We have been working with universities that will be publishing theses of this research. In addition to owning and fully-controlling our vines, I would say that we demark ourselves in terms of accuracy. The purpose is to always know our terroirs essence better and to create wines that reflect it the best possible way. Tell us about the wines Comte de M and the Comtesse. Comte de M is a different story; it is separate from the wine range. Comte de M is an entity in itself. It is a wine that became famous when we got the 91 rating from Parker in 1996. Today we have obtained a 92 rate over the three last vintages. Comte de M is really made from a tight selection of the best micro-terroirs grapes in Kefraya, these are grown in high altitude, where there are big differences in temperature between day and night, and thus a better maturation of the grapes. This is where we put all of our best knowhow with the best choice of grapes but also of barrels. After several years of research and trials, we decided to launch a white wine of the same standing and we called it Comtesse de M. In Lebanon, white wines often lack a bit of acidity and there is an intended choice not to adjust them by any addition of tartaric acid. To ensure an optimal and longer life span to Comtesse de M, we wished to create a white wine marked by a longer maturation in barrels, because there was sufficient matiere and volume to absorb this supply well. With 24 months of new oak barrel, we also made sure that the wood is not too opulent. Comtesse de M is a challenge taken by the winemaker to experience how far we can go with a white in Lebanon. As our winemaker Fabrice Guiberteau always says, we keep on advancing quality wise, while always keeping in mind that wine requires a lot of humility and we never get 100% of the targeted result. Only 2,000 bottles are produced on 2 to 3 hectares and it is added value for the portfolio. On 1 January 2016, APL ushered in the New Year with its U.S-flagged vessel, APL Guam arriving at the island of Guam for the first time. The event marks the maiden inbound shipment to Guam via APLs Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service. We are thrilled to kick-start 2016 with the first cargo shipment on the GSX route, said John Selleck, APL General Manager, Guam/Micronesia. With 75% of Guams inbound freight originating from the U.S. mainland, the GSX service provides essential cargo shipments from the U.S. mainland to Guam and Saipan. Moreover, with the GSXs connections in Yokohama and Busan, we connect Guam and Saipan with the world through APLs global network. Designed primarily to give Guam and Saipan shippers an alternative option for shipments from the U.S. mainland to these markets and vice versa, the GSX service connects with APLs weekly U.S.-flagged Eagle Express service (EX1) in both Yokohama, Japan and Busan, South Korea. Prior to calling Guam, the 1,100-TEU APL vessel made its first call to Saipan. Upon returning to Yokohama, APL Guam will begin its regular two-week rotation, calling Guam, Saipan, Busan and Yokohama on Saturday, Sunday, Thursday and Tuesday respectively. In particular, the fortnightly GSX service is scheduled for weekend arrivals for ready cargo availability on Monday mornings in both Guam and Saipan. Saudi Arabia and OPEC Manipulate Oil Prices to Eliminate Its Competition About eighteen months ago the international price of WTI Crude Oil, at the close of June 2014, was $105.93 per barrel. Flash-forward to today; the price of WTI Crude Oil was just holding above $38.00 per barrel, a drastic fall of more than 65% since June 2014. I will point out several reasons behind this sharp, sudden, and what now seems to be prolonged slump. The Big Push Despite a combination of factors triggering the fall in prices, the biggest push came from the U.S. Shale producers. From 2010 to 2014, oil production in the U.S. increased from 5,482,000 bpd to 8,663,000 (a 58% increase), making the U.S. the third largest oil-producing country in the world. The next big push came from Iraq whose production increased from 2,358,000 bpd in 2010 to 3,111,000 bpd in 2014 (a 32% increase), mostly resulting from the revival of its post-war oil industry. The country-wide financial crunch, and the need for the government to increasingly export more to pay foreign companies for their production contracts and continue the fight against militants in the country took production levels to the full of its current capacity. In addition; global demand remained flat, growing at just 1.1% and even declining for some regions during 2014. Demand for oil in the U.S. grew just 0.6% against production growth of 16% during 2014. Europe registered extremely slow growth in demand, and Asia was plagued by a slowdown in China which registered the lowest growth in its demand for oil in the last five years. Consequently, a global surplus was created courtesy of excess supply and lack of demand, with the U.S. and Iraq contributing to it the most. The Response In response to the falling prices, OPEC members met in the November of 2014, in Vienna, to discuss the strategy forward. Advocated by Saudi Arabia, the most influential member of the cartel, along with support from other GCC countries in the OPEC, the cartel reluctantly agreed to maintain its current production levels. This sent WTI Crude Oil and Brent Oil prices below $70, much to the annoyance of Russia (non-OPEC), Nigeria and Venezuela, who desperately needed oil close to $90 to meet their then economic goals. For Saudi Arabia, the strategy was to leverage their low-cost of production advantage in the market and send prices falling beyond such levels so that high-cost competitors (U.S. Shale producers are the highest cost producers in the market) are driven out and the market defines a higher equilibrium price from the resulting correction. The GCC region, with a combined $2.5 trillion in exchange reserves, braced itself for lower prices, even to the levels of $20 per barrel. The Knockout Punch By the end of September 2014, according to data from Baker Hughes, U.S. Shale rigs registered their highest number in as many years at 1,931. However, they also registered their very first decline to 1,917 at the end of November 2014, following OPECs first meeting after price falls and its decision to maintain production levels. By June 2015, in time for the next OPEC meeting, U.S. Shale rigs had already declined to just 875 by the end of May; a 54% decline. The Saudi Arabia strategy was spot on; a classic real-life example of predatory price tactics being used by a market leader, showing its dominant power in the form of deep foreign-exchange pockets and the low costs of production. Furthermore, on the week ending on the date of the most recent OPEC meeting held on December 4th, 2015, the U.S. rig count was down even more to only 737; a 62% decline. Despite increased pressure from the likes of Venezuela, the GCC lobby was able to ensure that production levels were maintained for the foreseeable future. Now What? Moving forward; the U.S. production will decline by 600,000 bpd, according to a forecast by the International Energy Agency. Furthermore, news from Iraq is that its production will also decline in 2016 as the battle with militants gets more expensive and foreign companies like British Petroleum have already cut operational budgets for next year, hinting production slowdowns. A few companies in the Kurdish region have even shut down all production, owing to outstanding dues on their contracts with the government. Hence, for the coming year, global oil supply is very much likely to be curtailed. However, Irans recent disclosure of ambitions to double its output once sanctions are lifted next year, and call for $30 billion in investment in its oil and gas industry, is very much likely to spoil any case for a significant price rebound. The same also led Saudi Arabia and its GCC partners to turn down any requests from other less-economically strong members of OPEC to cut production, in their December 2015, meeting. Under the current scenarios members like Venezuela, Algeria and Nigeria, given their dependence on oil revenues to run their economies, cannot afford to cut their own production but, as members of the cartel, can plea to cut its production share to make room for price improvements, which they can benefit from i.e. forego its market share. Its Not Over Until Ive Won With news coming from Iran, and the successful delivery of a knockout punch to a six-year shale boom in the U.S., Saudi Arabia feared it would lose share to Iran if it cut its own production. Oil prices will be influenced increasingly by the political scuffles betweenSaudi Arabia and its allies and Iran. The deadlock and increased uncertainty over Saudi Arabia and Irans ties have sent prices plunging further. The Global Hedge Fund industry is increasing its short position for the short-term, which stood at 154 million barrels on November 17th, 2015, when prices hit $40 per barrel; all of this indicating a prolonged bear market for oil. One important factor that needs to be discussed is the $1+ trillions of junk bonds holding up the shale and other marginal producers. As you know, that has been teetering and looked like a crash not long ago. The pressure is still there. As the shale becomes more impaired, the probability of a high-yield market crash looks very high. If that market crashes, what happens to oil? Wouldnt there be feedback effects between the oil and the crashing junk market, with a final sudden shutdown of marginal production? Could this be the catalyst for a quick reversal of oil price? The strategic interests, primarily of the U.S. and Saudi Arabia; the Saudis have strategically decided to go all in to maintain their market share by maximizing oil production, even though the effect on prices is to drive them down even further. In the near term, they have substantial reserves to cover any budget shortfalls due to low prices. More importantly, in the intermediate term, they want to force marginal producers out of business and damage Irans hopes of reaping a windfall due to the lifting of sanctions. This is something they have in common with the strategic interests of the U.S. which also include damaging the capabilities of Russia and ISIS. Its certainly complicated sorting out the projected knock-on effects, but no doubt they are there and very important. Ill Show You How Great I Am Moreover, despite a more than 50% decline in its oil revenues, the International Monetary Fund has maintained Saudi Arabias economy to grow at 3.5% for 2015, buoyed by increasing government spending and oil production. According to data by Deutsche Bank and IMF; in order to balance its fiscal books, Saudi Arabia needs an oil price of $105. But the petroleum sector only accounts for 45% of its GDP, and as of June 2015, according to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, the country had combined foreign reserves of $650 billion. The only challenge for Saudi Arabia is to introduce slight taxes to balance its fiscal books. As for the balance of payments deficit; the country has asserted its will to depend on its reserves for the foreseeable future. Conclusion The above are some of the advantages which only Saudi Arabia and a couple of other GCC members in the OPEC enjoy, which will help them sustain their strategy even beyond 2016 if required. But I believe it wont take that long. International pressure from other OPEC members, and even the global oil corporations lobby will push leaders on both sides to negotiate a deal to streamline prices. With the U.S. players more or less out by the end of 2016, the OPEC will be in more control of price fluctuations and, therefore, in light of any deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia (both OPEC members) and even Russia (non-OPEC), will alter global supply for prices to rebound, thus controlling prices again. What we see now in oil price manipulation is just the mid-way point. Lots of opportunity in oil and oil related companies will slowly start to present themselves over the next year which I will share my trades and long term investment pays with subscribers of my newsletter at TheGoldAndOilGuy.com END OF YEAR SPECIAL GET 12 MONTH OF TRADE ALERTS FOR THE PRICE OF ONLY 6 MONTHS! www.TheGoldAndOilGuy.com Chris Vermeulen Join my email list FREE and get my next article which I will show you about a major opportunity in bonds and a rate spike www.GoldAndOilGuy.com Chris Vermeulen is Founder of the popular trading site TheGoldAndOilGuy.com. There he shares his highly successful, low-risk trading method. For 7 years Chris has been a leader in teaching others to skillfully trade in gold, oil, and silver in both bull and bear markets. Subscribers to his service depend on Chris' uniquely consistent investment opportunities that carry exceptionally low risk and high return. Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Monday, Jan. 4 Henry County Board of Supervisors organizational meeting for 2016: 5 p.m. in the Summerlin Board Room, Henry County Administration Building. Includes election of chairman and vice-chairman for 2016. TOPS Va. 0172 Martinsville, a weight loss support group at McCabe Memorial Baptist Church, 107 Clearview Drive, Martinsville. Weigh-in begins at 5:30 p.m.; meeting at 6 p.m. Visitors and new members are welcome. Call (276) 957-4213 for more information. Breakfast club for seniors: 9 a.m. at the Sirloin House on Commonwealth Boulevard, Martinsville. The club is sponsored by the Martinsville Senior Center. If you plan to attend, call the center at 403-5260. Steps to Freedom Group of Narcotics Anonymous, open topic: 7-8 p.m. at Bassett Memorial United Methodist Church, Riverside Drive, Bassett. Narcotics Anonymous: 8-9 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Alcoholics Anonymous, Martinsville Group: noon, Christ Episcopal Church, 311 E. Church St.; 6:30 p.m. Martinsville Group, Grace Presbyterian Church, 218 Fayette St.; 7 p.m. Bassett Group Step Study, and 8 p.m. Big Book study, both at Pocahontas Bassett Baptist Church, 120 Bassett Heights Road. Crochet group: 10 a.m. at Martinsville Senior Center. Bring yarn and crochet hooks. Call 403-5260 to sign up. Game On program for adults: 8 a.m. at the JD Bassett Event Center/EMI in Bassett for exercise, games and crafts. For more information, call Jessica Bowers at 629-1369 or email jdb@emiimaging.com. Tuesday, Jan. 5 Senior Citizens Tuesday Evening Dance at Rangeley Ruritan Building: 7-9:30 p.m. with music by The Plantation Band. Admission: $5. Public invited. Virginia Foothills Quilters Guild: 9:30 a.m. until noon at Piedmonts Arts. Bring your own project and 30s fabrics that you already have to share. The discussion will be on the dresses project. Quilters of all levels are invited. Call 956-1775 for more information. Southwest Piedmont Beekeepers Association: 7 p.m. at the Henry County Administration Building. Learn about how bees pollinate crops and flowers and how they make honey. Speakers will share their knowledge of beekeeping with those who have a love for the outdoors and want to know more about keeping these amazing insects. For more information, call Vern Wood at 276-629-1394 or Julie Shelton at 276-252-1310. Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step program for compulsive overeaters and food addicts: 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Calvary Christian Church, 515 Mulberry Road Martinsville. Enter through downstairs back door at the side of the church. Christian Recovery 12 Step Group: 7-8 p.m. at Mercy Crossing 1978 Joseph Martin Highway, Martinville. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly at Ross-Harbour United Methodist Church, Elamsville Road, Patrick County: weigh-in begins at 5 p.m. followed by a supportive meeting at 6 p.m. TOPS Va. 413, Ridgeway: 5 p.m. weigh-in; 5:30 p.m. meeting at New Life Community Church fellowship hall, 415 Mica Road, Ridgeway; 956-2272. TOPS Va. 0218, Martinsville: 9 a.m. weigh-in; 10 a.m. meeting at Chatham Heights Baptist Church, 1235 Chatham Heights. Call 957-2523 for more information. TOPS Va. 0626, Fieldale: weigh-in from 5:30-6:10 p.m.; meeting at 6:15 p.m., Fieldale United Methodist Church. For more information, call (276) 957-3404 or (276) 340-6461. Alcoholics Anonymous, Martinsville Group, 12 & 12 study: noon at Christ Episcopal Church; Primary Purpose Group, 12 & 12 study: 6:30 p.m. at Stone Memorial Christian Church; 8 p.m. Martinsville Group, beginners discussion, and Al-Anon Group at First Baptist Church, 23 Starling Ave., Martinsville. Narcotics Anonymous: 8-9 p.m., basic study at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Wednesday, Jan. 6 Join Henry County Parks & Recreation Senior Services for lunch and fellowship: 1 p.m. at Hugos, located at 10 E. Church St., Martinsville, Hugos offers a special on Wednesdays where seniors can eat for just $3.99. All seniors age 50 and over are welcome. If you have questions, Henry County Parks and Recreation Senior Services at 634-4644. Game On activities for adults at the Historic J.D. Bassett Event Center, beginning at 8 a.m. Once in you can stay until 4 p.m. Exercising, Bingo, Rook, painting, sewing, basket making, photography and more available. Admittance $1 a day, $10 a month, or $100 a year. Membership levels can proved to be free by taking advantage of 5-15 percent discounts on all chargeable events including food. Those with questions may call Jessica Bowers at 629-1369 or email jdb@emiimaging.com. Alcoholics Anonymous, Making the Connection Group: 9 a.m. open meeting at 24 Clay St., Martinsville; Axton Group open meeting at noon at Mt. Calvary Church, 350 A.L. Philpott Highway, Axton; Martinsville Group at 8 p.m. at Spencer Friendly Christian Church, 735 Friendly Church Road, Spencer. The Martinsville Senior Center will have Wednesday morning Bible Study class for men and women aged 50 years or older at 10 a.m. at the Senior Center. Pastor Zeke Zanatos leads the class. For more information call the Senior Center at 403-5260 Calendar items may be mailed to info@martinsvillebulletin.com; faxed to 638-7409; mailed to P.O. Box 3711, Martinsville, Va. 24115; or brought to the office at 204 Broad St.; no phone calls. Notices must have the exact date of the event After classes resume at Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC) on Jan. 11, students should not be alarmed if they get an emergency message saying that the campus is being locked down. A lockdown drill is being planned. No actors such as students or other people pretending to be injured or dead will be used, but personnel from area law-enforcement agencies will participate to familiarize themselves with the campus in case a real emergency occurs, according to PHCC Police Chief Gary Dove. It will be the colleges first lockdown, Dove said. The date and time will be announced before the drill. I dont want any surprises so as not to cause panic, said Dove, who also is the colleges emergency planning coordinator. But weve still got a lot of planning to do before the drill is held, he said of PHCC officials. Rooms on campus now have door locks that can be locked from both inside and outside the rooms, Dove said. In a lockdown, he said, students and employees in classrooms and offices should immediately lock doors to the rooms, cut off lights and move away from doors and windows so they cannot be seen. They also should stay quiet and silence their cell phones and other personal communication devices, he said. Officials have said that crime on PHCCs campus is rare and usually minor such as thefts of personal items left behind in classrooms but it always is possible for more serious crimes to happen. No acts of violence have been reported on campus, at least since 2009, statistics on PHCCs website show. However, incidents of violence at colleges and universities nationwide in recent years have prompted PHCC to make security improvements, Dove said. The development of a two-officer police department is one of those measures. Those officers include Dove and Reggie Gravely, who recently was hired. Both men previously spent more than 25 years with the Martinsville Police Department. PHCC also uses security officers, but they do not have arrest powers like campus police do. Seven emergency call boxes have been installed outdoors on the campus, and six have been placed in buildings. Anyone needing help can press a button on any of the boxes to speak immediately with a police or security officer, Dove said. PHCCs police department has two-way radio communications with the Martinsville Police Department, Henry County Sheriffs Office and the city-county 911 communications center, all of which can quickly give the college assistance in an emergency, Dove said. That includes city police officers and county sheriffs deputies backing up the campus police force, he said. Security cameras now are installed in parking lots as well as buildings, Dove said. He declined to say how many cameras are on the campus. The 911 center is able to monitor all of the cameras, he added. Loudspeakers indoors and outdoors across the campus enable college officials to relay emergency information. The college also has the ability to instantly relay such information to any computer on campus that is turned on. A loud tone will be heard, and an emergency message will pop up on the computer screen, Dove said. Students can also sign up for PH Alert, a program that enables the college to provide them emergency messages via their personal communications devices. As of the fall semester, PHCC had almost 2,600 students. Dove is asking them to be active in efforts to help keep the campus safe by reporting any suspicious activity they see to the colleges police department. The request is in line with the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys If you see something, say something program. No matter how insignificant a bit of information might seem, Dove said, it may be the link that ties something together to solve a crime that happens on campus or prevent one from occurring. People who provide information do not have to identify themselves, he emphasized. Based on things he has heard, he said that some violent incidents that have occurred on college campuses may not have happened if people had more quickly relayed to police knowledge they had about certain situations. PHCC plans to implement a formal Campus Watch program, which Dove said will be similar to Neighborhood Watch programs in communities nationwide. No matter how safe that college officials try to make the campus, though, the safety of students and employees cannot be guaranteed all the time, Dove said. We do have an open campus that is accessible to the public, he said. A video about PHCCs security efforts has been placed on YouTube. Dove encourages students to watch it. Out with the Old. In with the New. That was always the encouraging message of New Year. But amidst all the parties and the popping of champagne bottles, there was no sign of any optimism or hope for the future on the part of the ruling class and its strategists. On the contrary, the columns of the bourgeois press are filled with pessimism and foreboding. On 28 December the Financial Times published an article by Gideon Rachman with the interesting title: Battered, bruised and jumpy the whole world is on edge. In it we read the following: In 2015, a sense of unease and foreboding seemed to settle on all the worlds major power centres. From Beijing to Washington, Berlin to Brasilia, Moscow to Tokyo governments, media and citizens were jumpy and embattled. This kind of globalised anxiety is unusual. For the past 30 years and more, there has been at least one world power that was bullishly optimistic. In the late 1980s the Japanese were still enjoying a decades-long boom and confidently buying up assets all over the world. In the 1990s America basked in victory in the cold war and a long economic expansion. In the early 2000s the EU was in a buoyant mood, launching a single currency and nearly doubling its membership. And for most of the past decade, the growing political and economic power of China has inspired respect all over the world. Yet at the moment all the big players seem uncertain even fearful. The only partial exception that I came across this year was India, where the business and political elite still seemed buoyed by the reformist zeal of prime minister Narendra Modi. By contrast, in Japan, faith is fading that the radical reforms, known as Abenomics, can truly break the countrys cycle of debt and deflation. Japanese anxiety is fed by continuing tensions with China. However, my main impression from a visit to China, early in the year, is that this too is a country that feels much less stable than it did even a couple of years ago. The era when the government effortlessly delivered growth of 8 per cent or more a year is over. Concerns about domestic financial stability are mounting, as the upheavals in the Shanghai stock exchange over the summer revealed." New explosions in the Middle East The New Year opened with high drama, the scene of which was set, as one might have expected, in the seething cauldron of the Middle East, following the execution of, Sheikh Nimr-al-Nimr a prominent Shia Muslim cleric, a persistent critic of Saudi Arabia's royal family who was involved in anti-government protests that erupted in Saudi Arabia in the period of the Arab Spring, until he was arrested in 2012. Washington views the situation with a mixture of alarm and helplessness. US state department spokesman John Kirby uttered soothing words: "We will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions. We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential." But while Washington preaches sweetness and light, its friends and allies in Riyadh are pouring gallons of petrol onto the flames of what was already a highly explosive region. Kirbys words resemble a speech delivered by a vegetarian at a cannibals annual convention. The only difference is that the man who delivered it is the representative of the most cannibalistic power on earth. The flames that engulf the entire Middle East are the direct consequence of the criminal invasion of Iraq and the continuing interference of US imperialism in that unhappy region. Having destabilised Iraq and reduced it to a smoking, war-torn ruin, the Americans and their allies have aided and abetted reactionary forces in Syria which now pose a serious threat to their interests. But the so-called war against terror that has allegedly been waged by the US and its allies for the past years in Iraq has achieved precisely nothing. The claim of the pathetic and cowardly Iraqi army, which is under US control, to have retaken Ramadi from ISIS, turned out to be a lie. As I write these lines, the Jihadis remain in control of large parts of that city (or what remains of it) and fighting is still raging. No doubt the Iraqi army will eventually succeed in winning control of a heap of smouldering ruins. But the triumph in Ramadi has only served to expose the Iraqi army as a useless instrument. This shameful farce exposes the hollowness of all the boastful claims of the Pentagon, which pays their wages and puts guns in their hands, which they will throw away as soon as the first convenient opportunity presents itself. America, Russia and Iran Having finally woken up to the danger posed by forces that have escaped their control, the Americans are desperately looking around for someone who can help them to stamp out the fires that they themselves have ignited. But who can that be? Reluctantly, grumbling under their breath, the Americans are obliged to turn to the most unexpected and unwelcome of all imaginable allies Russia and Iran. Not long ago, the Americans and their NATO allies were constantly repeating the same monotonous chant about isolating Russia. Oh yes! Russia is isolated internationally. That was the mantra, repeated day in, day out. But now, as if by magic, Russia is not at all isolated, but courted, feted, and showered with praise, albeit delivered in a surly, growling sort of way. We have no intention of isolating Russia, We must reach an understanding with Russia, they now repeat constantly, and hope that nobody will notice the change of tune. That was not the only death-defying somersault performed by Washington in the Year of Our Lord 2015. An even more astonishing leap in the diplomatic circus was performed in relation to Iran. The very same Iran which, like Russia, was doomed to the role of an international pariah, which was subjected to punishing sanctions and was even on the point of receiving the amiable attentions of the US air force, has now become a friend of America. And as we all know, a friend in need is a friend indeed! The reason for these astonishing diplomatic acrobatics is not hard to see. The only serious military actions against the Jihadis in Syria have been the ones carried out by the Russians in collaboration with the Syrian army of Bashar al-Assad. And the only serious military actions against ISIS in Iraq (apart from the Kurds who will only fight in their own areas) are carried out, not by the so-called Iraqi army and its US backers, but by the Iranian-backed Shia militia and elements of the Iranian military. In practice, the Americans have been forced to recognise this and accept the demands of Russia and Iran that Bashar al-Assad must remain in power for the foreseeable future. A report in the London Review of Books by the prominent American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh states that, the American Joint Military Staff provided the Syrian Army with security information through Germany, Russia and Israel. This fits in with the statements made by former Director of the American Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Michael Flynn, who told the same magazine that between 2012 and 2014 his agency sent a number of messages warning of the impact of overthrowing Assads regime. His agency began to provide the regime with intelligence information (without, it seems, the approval of the politicians) to further its war against common enemies. The Americans and their allies are being compelled by force of circumstance to abandon the ridiculous fiction of a moderate Islamist opposition in Syria. This moderate opposition, as everyone now knows, is made up of extreme Jihadi outfits like the Al Nusra Front, which America had supported, and which is the Syrian branch of al Qaeda. One part of US imperialism (the CIA) wishes to continue this policy, but it is directly contradicted by the Administrations change of line in relation to Russia and Iran. Meanwhile, the Russians continue to bomb all the Jihadi forces to their hearts content, paying not the slightest attention to the howls of protests from Washington. Saudis and Turks These splits in Washington create an impression of confusion and indecision, which is personified in the person of President Obama. There can be no doubt whatsoever that the downing of a Russian plane by the Turks was a deliberate provocation on the part of Erdogan, the intention of which was to drive a wedge between America and Russia. As we predicted, this manoeuvre failed utterly. The execution of Nimr-al-Nimr, a judicial murder ordered by the Saudi royal clique, is of the same order. It was a deliberate provocation intended to stir up sectarian strife between Shias and Sunnis and push the government of Teheran into taking military action against Saudi Arabia, which would then call on the Americans for aid. The immediate reaction to what was clearly a judicial murder was the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Saudi Arabia immediately broke off diplomatic ties with Iran. All this was carefully premeditated. Events have proceeded step by step, like the steps of a ballet dancer. But this ballet is the dance of death. This was a desperate act by a regime that finds itself in deep trouble and faces the prospect of overthrow. The Saudi gangsters miscalculated in Yemen, where they are involved in an unwinnable war. Now it has stirred up the anger of the Shias who constitute at least twenty percent of the Saudi population and are among the poorest and most oppressed layers. Mass demonstrations have broken out in Saudi cities with slogans like Death to the House of Saud! By overreaching themselves the Saudi ruling clique has sown the winds and will reap a whirlwind. Refugee crisis The revisionist pseudo-Marxist Hobsbawm, echoing an idea that was far better expressed by Kautsky, argued that in an age of globalization, national barriers would cease to have any meaning and wars would be a thing of the past. Instead of this, the 21st century has been marked by endless wars, violence and national conflicts of every kind. The Middle East is only one example of this. The bloody chaos in Syria is causing a massive displacement of people probably not seen since the end of the Second World War. Thousands upon thousands of cold, exhausted, hungry refugees beat with their bare fists against the barbed wire fences that were hastily erected by the forces of law and order of civilized Europe. Nothing can illustrate the cold, cynical hypocrisy of the European bourgeois than their reaction to the refugee crisis. For many years the people of Europe and America were fed the lie that every act of imperialist aggression was motivated by the purest humanitarian concerns. These concerns have created the biggest humanitarian disaster since the Second World War. Having contributed in no small way to the mess in Syria, the governments of Europe are now busy working out the best way to close the door on the hapless victims of the war. The situation is no better on the other side of the Atlantic. A hundred years ago America inscribed on its Statue of Liberty the famous words: Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door. Now these words sound like a cruel irony. That same America is erecting ever higher fences to keep the poor huddled masses on the other side of the Rio Grande. The leading Presidential contender for the Republican Party publicly calls for a ban on all Moslems wishing to enter the United States. This is the authentic voice of 21st century capitalism: the voice of overt reaction, of chauvinism, xenophobia and barely-concealed racism. Instead of the revisionist Utopia of a world without frontiers, national barriers are being reinforced everywhere. Border controls are being reintroduced not only on the outer fringes of Europe but also between the member countries of the Schengen Agreement. Nice, democratic Sweden is now introducing checks on travellers coming from nice, democratic Denmark. Nothing is left of the dream of a united Europe, which was always impossible on a capitalist basis. Europe in crisis The mood in Europe is a sombre one. The year 2015 was scarred both in its beginning and its end by two bloody terrorist attacks in Paris. The citizens of Munich and Brussels could not even celebrate the New Year in the accustomed style for fear of new terrorist outrages. In Paris the firework display had to be suspended. Fear and uncertainty are everywhere. All the serious economists expect that the global economy is due another slump, which may start in Asia as a result of the sharp deceleration of the mighty Chinese economy. But it could equally begin in Europe. Germany, formerly the locomotive of Europes economic growth, has stalled and was plunged into crisis by the arrival of more than a million refugees from the Middle East and other war zones. The Euro, which, together with the Schengen Agreement, was supposed to be the basis for further economic integration, has turned into its opposite. A yawning abyss has opened up between Germany and the nations of southern Europe, while the refugee crisis has driven a wedge between it and countries to the east. The long agony of Greece will continue, since nothing whatsoever has been solved. The exit of Greece from the Euro is only a matter of time. That in turn will be the cause of even greater pain and suffering for the Greek people, and can act as the detonator that will push other countries towards the door marked exit. Britain is holding a referendum that could end in the United Kingdom leaving the EU. Anti-EU sentiment is building up in France and other countries. The future, not just of the Euro but of the EU itself is in question. Political ferment The pessimism of the bourgeois is well-founded. But it is only one side of the coin. The crisis of capitalism inevitably begets its opposite: the birth of a new spirit of revolt that alone can provide humanity with hope for the future. Slowly but surely the consciousness of the masses is awakening. And if the green shoots of economic recovery are only a figment of the imagination of the economists, the first symptoms of a revival of a revolutionary mood are both real and tangible. It is an elementary proposition of dialectical materialism that human consciousness always lags behind events. But sooner or later it catches up with a bang. That is precisely what a revolution is. And what we are witnessing in Britain is the beginning of a political revolution. Overnight the entire equation has been transformed. That itself is a symptom of profound changes that are taking place in society. Sharp turns and sudden changes are implicit in the present situation. It is true that consciousness is shaped to a large extent by the memories of the past. It will take time for the old illusions in reformism to be burned out of the consciousness of the masses. But under the hammer blows of events there will be sudden and sharp changes in consciousness. Woe betide those who try to base themselves on the consciousness of a past that is already vanished beyond recall! Marxists must base themselves on the living process and on perspectives for the coming period, which will bear no similarity to what we have experienced heretofore. Looking for a way out of the crisis, the masses put to the test one party after another. The old leaders and programmes are analysed and discarded. Those parties that are elected and betray the hopes of the people, carrying out cuts in violation of election promises find themselves rapidly discredited. What were considered as mainstream ideologies become despised. Leaders who were popular become hated. Sharp and sudden changes are on the order of the day. There is a growing anger against political elites: against the rich, the powerful and the privileged. This reaction against the status quo, which contains the embryonic seeds of revolutionary developments, can last well beyond the point where the economy begins to register signs of improvement. People no longer believe what the politicians say or promise. There is a growing disillusionment with the political establishment and in political parties in general. There is a general and deep seated sense of economic malaise in society. But it lacks a vehicle that is capable of giving it an organized expression. In France, where the Socialist Party swept the board in the last election, Francois Hollande has the lowest approval rate of any President since 1958. In Greece we saw the collapse of Pasok and the rise of Syriza. In Spain we have the rise of Podemos, which came from nowhere to win together with its allies 69 seats in the Spanish parliament, establishing itself as the only real opposition party. We see the same process taking place in Ireland in the recent referendum. For centuries, Ireland was one of the most Catholic countries in Europe. Not long ago, the Church held absolute dominion over every aspect of life. The result of the referendum on gay marriage, where 62% voted Yes, was a stunning blow to the Roman Catholic Church. It was a massive protest against its power and interference in politics and in peoples lives. This represented a fundamental change in Irish society. In Britain, against all the odds, Jeremy Corbyn swept the board in the elections for Labour leader. This was a political earthquake that transformed the whole situation in Britain practically overnight. This development was anticipated by events in Scotland, where the revolt against the establishment was reflected in the rapid growth of the SNP. This was not a movement to the right but to the left. It was not the expression of nationalism but of a burning hatred of the effete elite that rules in Westminster. The Labour Party, as a result of the cowardly class collaborationist policies of its leaders, is seen as just part of that establishment. For decades the Labour Party under right wing leadership was a pillar of support for the existing system. The ruling class will not abandon this without a ferocious struggle. The first line of defence of the capitalist system is the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) itself. The Blairite majority of the PLP are the direct and conscious agents of the bankers and capitalists in this struggle. That explains their fanatical determination to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn at all costs. The ground is being prepared for a split in the Labour Party that will create an entirely new situation in Britain. All this is an expression of the deep discontent that exists in society and is seeking a political expression. Across Europe there is a fear that the policies of austerity will not be a temporary adjustment but a permanent attack on living standards. In countries such as Greece, Portugal and Ireland these policies have already resulted in deep cuts in nominal wages and pensions without having solved the problem of the deficit. Thus, all the sufferings and privations of the people have been in vain. Everywhere the poor are poorer and the rich are richer. These processes are not confined to Europe. The US Presidential election presents a most interesting development. It is, of course, impossible to predict the outcome with any degree of certainty, given the extremely unstable and volatile juncture of US politics. The media circus has focussed almost exclusively on the person of the Republican Donald Trump. It seems unlikely that the US ruling class would entrust its affairs to an ignorant clown. But they have done so on at least two occasions in the recent past. Hilary Clinton is surely a safer bet from the standpoint of the ruling class. But far more significant than Trump or Clinton was the massive support for Bernie Sanders who openly speaks of socialism. The emergence of Bernie Sanders as a challenger for the Democratic nomination for presidential candidate is a symptom of profound discontent and ferment in society. His attacks against the billionaire class and his call for a political revolution resonate with millions of people, as tens of thousands attend his rallies. The word socialism is now used more frequently in the mainstream media. A 2011 poll found that 49% of those aged 18 to 29 had a positive view of socialism, versus only 47% with a positive view of capitalism. A more recent poll, from June 2014, found that 47% of Americans would vote for a socialist, with 69% of those under 30 in favour. Large numbers of people, many of them youth, were eager to hear Bernie Sanders message. It is true that this was more akin to Scandinavian-style Social Democracy than genuine socialism. Even so, this is a most significant symptom that something is changing in the USA. The situation in Russia has marked differences to the rest of Europe. On the surface it may seem paradoxical that Putin has emerged strengthened from the crises in Ukraine and Syria. The efforts of the West to isolate him have been a miserable failure. In Syria he is the man who now calls the shots. And even if the USA persists in maintaining sanctions over Crimea and Ukraine, we can confidently predict that its European allies will quietly drop theirs. The crisis-ridden European economy needs the Russian market and Russian gas just as much as the European bourgeois need Russian help to clear up the mess in Syria and (god willing) halt the unending flow of refugees. But if we look deeper into the situation, it will become evident that that it is not so stable as it looks. The Russian economy continues to fall, hit by the falling price of oil and western sanctions. Real wages are falling. The middle class can no longer spend pleasant weekends in London and Paris. It grumbles but does nothing. The Russian workers were influenced by the official propaganda on Ukraine. They were scandalised by the activities of the Ukrainian fascists and ultra-nationalists and Putin was able to take advantage of their natural sympathy with their brothers and sisters in eastern Ukraine. Putin may be able to maintain his grip on power for some time, but everything has its limits and in the end history always presents its bill. The economic crisis has led to a sharp fall in living standards of many workers, especially outside Petersburg and Moscow. The masses are patient, but their patience has definite limits. We saw evidence of this at the end of 2015 when long-distance truckers went on strike. A small symptom perhaps, but a symptom nevertheless that sooner or later the discontent of the Russian workers will find its expression in serious protests. Gloomy outlook At bottom, all these phenomena reflect the fact that the capitalist system has reached its limits. Globalization, having exhausted itself, has turned into its opposite. From being a powerful factor propelling growth, it is now helping to drag the whole unsound edifice down. The fact is that the so-called revival which is no revival at all is of such a feeble and anaemic character that any shock, whether economic, political or military, will be sufficient to bring the whole recovery to a shuddering halt. The slowing of the Chinese economy threatens the entire world. China imported huge quantities of commodities from countries like Brazil. Now the Brazilian economy is contracting by 4.5 per cent. Many other so-called BRICS are in a similar position. The predictions of the spokespersons of Capital are increasingly pessimistic about the future. The Wall Street Journal reported the words of Adam Parker, Morgan Stanleys chief U.S. stock strategist: We think that we are likely headed for a choppy year of low returns, and suspect many others think the same. Hyundai Motor's top executive has said the outlook for this year was "not bright". Group chairman Chung Mong-koo told the heads of the automaker's overseas units growth in 2015 was constrained by a weak global economy, the economic slowdown in the world's second-largest auto market China and a decline in emerging market demand. "Considering many leading indicators, the outlook for next year's auto market is also not bright," he said. Similar examples can be repeated at will. In the article we mentioned at the beginning, Gideon Rachman draws the most pessimistic conclusions: The global gloom makes the international political system feel like a patient that is still struggling to recover from a severe illness which began with the financial crisis of 2008. If there are no further bad shocks, recovery should proceed gradually and the worst political symptoms may fade. The patient is vulnerable, however. Another severe shock, such as a major terrorist attack or a serious economic downturn, could spell real trouble. Here is the real voice of the strategists of Capital. They look to the future with dread. And from their own class perspective they are not wrong. 2016 will produce more turbulence, economic crisis and attacks on living standards, more inequality and injustice, more bloodshed and mayhem. The New Year will replicate the Old, but with even greater intensity. The wars in the Middle East, Africa and Asia will produce the same tsunami of human misery that will continue to stream towards Europe, where it will be met by a barrier of barbed wire and inhumanity. Terrorism, which is spreading through the globe like an uncontrollable epidemic, is itself a symptom of the diseased nature of capitalism in the 21st century. Further acts of terrorism are inevitable. The terrorists cannot be halted by police methods. There are not enough policemen in the world to deal with a large number of determined and fanatical individuals who wish to perpetrate acts of murder against unarmed and defenceless civilians. When Lenin wrote that capitalism is horror without end, he was speaking the truth. It is as useless to complain about these horrors as it is to complain about the pains that accompany childbirth. The task of Marxists is not to moan about the inevitable consequences of capitalist decay. We leave that kind of thing to the preachers and pacifists. Our task is to work tirelessly to point out to the workers and youth the real causes of these horrors and explain the way in which the problem can be eradicated once and for all. That can only be achieved by a root-and-branch transformation of society. Drastic problems demand drastic solutions. Only the socialist revolution can solve the problems facing humanity. That is the only cause worth fighting for today. London, 4th January 2016 I guess this means there won't be any Donald Trump rallies coming to Northampton soon. While Amherst has long been considered the bastion of liberal politics and hippie ethos (Exravaganja, anyone?), Reverb Press just named Northampton the second best "hippie city" in the country for stressed-out progressives in 2016. The list named a dozen municipalities across the nation, with Mount Shasta, California, taking the top spot due to its location at the base of a volcano, Mount Shasta, a sacred place to Native Amercians and the town's plethora of spiritual teachers, as well as meditation, alternative medicine, and yoga sites. Northampton's grooviness was based on its hemp stores, Moroccan coffee, rainbow crosswalk, "and a preponderance of Priuses." The article also noted that "...the streets are full of counterculture artists, street musicians, political activists, and music venues, as well." Smith College and some its famous alums -- Gloria Steinem, Sylvia Plath, and Julia Child (although it's hard to think of Julia Child as a progressive or hippie) were also cited. Other places on the list included Madison, Wisconsin, (of course), Lawrence, Kansas (somewhat surprisingly), and a small town named Marfa in the western part Texas (far from Austin and even more surprising). The only other New England place named was Portland, Maine, which was tapped for "an openness that welcomes refugees and same-sex couples, tolerates public nudity, and contains both award-winning restaurants and polite panhandlers." The_Lindens,_Kalorama.jpg 2401 Kalorama Street in Washington, D.C. By AgnosticPreachersKid (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Want to live large in the nation's capitol but still feel right at home in New England? The oldest home in Washington, D.C., a 8,820-square-foot house at 2401 Kalorama Street, is a Danvers, Mass. original currently on the market for $10.5 million. This is not the first time the Georgian-style house has been on the market. According to the home's Zillow feature, 2401 Kalorama, otherwise known as "The Lindens," was built as a Danvers summer home in 1754. In 1934, the home was sold to George Morris, president of the American Bar Association, and wife Miriam, who had the structure dismantled and rebuilt in its current location. The home, which features six bedroom suites, a gated entrance, two kitchens, a spa, gorgeously designed walls and more, belonged to the Morris family until 1982. The house was listed for sale in 2005 for $12.75 million, and sold in 2007 for $7,165,000. Interested in living lavishly a little closer to home? Check out grand homes still located in Western Massachusetts in MassLive House of the Week. SPRINGFIELD - A Springfield man is being held on $500,000 bail following his arrest Saturday with 8,000 packets what police describe as the lethal "Hollywood" brand of heroin. Juan Perez, 27, pleaded not guilty to one count of heroin trafficking during his arraignment in Springfield District Court. Perez was arrested late Saturday after Springfield police received a tip that a gold minivan carrying a large amount of heroin would be pulling into the parking lot of a CVS store on Belmont Avenue, Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski said. Police followed the van and arrested Perez on the corner of Sumner and Ormond streets, according to Szafranski, who said 800 packets of so-called Hollywood heroin were concealed in a fake bumper. The prosecutor, noting that a batch of Hollywood heroin has been linked to five fatal overdoses in Chicopee and Holyoke since Dec. 30, asked Judge William Boyle to impose $500,000 cash bail. But defense lawyer Vincent Bongiorni said Perez did not own the minivan and investigators only found the heroin after an extensive search at police headquarters. Perez is licensed to drive, has a steady work history and no criminal record, according to Bongiorni, who said he poses no flight risk. He asked for $25,000 bail. Boyle set bail at $500,000 and continued the case for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 4. Three other defendants arrested on charges of distributing Hollywood heroin were scheduled for arraignment Monday afternoon. They are Francis Willor, of 455 State St. in North Adams; Elvis Luckham, of 68 Warragan St., Chicopee and Elvin Resto, of 128 Beech St. in Holyoke. hfct Courtemanche.jpg Don Courtemanche, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, announced that Julie Marcus will be the new board president. (Diane Lederman/The Republican) AMHERST - The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce has anew president beginning Jan. 12 - Julie Marcus founder and chief operating officer of New England Environmental, Inc. Marcus, who has been vice president, takes over from current president Nancy Buffone. Georgia Moore of the Development Office of Cooley Dickinson Health Care will rejoin the board while members Mark Ellsworth and Felicity Hardee will step off the board after many years of service, according to a press release. Julie Marcus "The Board will be in good hands with Julie at the helm," said chamber executive director Don Courtemanche. "Her knowledge of local and regional issues, her tireless civic involvement, and the knowledge she brings to the table as a business owner will serve the Chamber membership well. "Additionally, we are grateful to the tremendous investment in time and talent that Nancy Buffone has dedicated to our organization." Marcus in a statement said "I look forward to working closely with the Amherst Area Chamber's business, institutional and non-profit membership this year. "This is a particularly exciting time in Amherst as we anticipate the addition of Geoff Kravitz, Amherst's new Economic Development Officer. "The regional economy appears to be heading in the right direction, and I believe this area offers a bright future to our membership." Kravitz began working Monday. Marcus becomes president at the board's annual meeting Jan. 12. Bill Cosby, Camille Cosby In this Oct. 26, 2009 file photo, comedian Bill Cosby, left, and his wife Camille appear at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts before Bill Cosby received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in Washington. Camille Cosby released a statement on Monday, Dec. 15, 2014 in support of her husband. The statement is the first public comment from Cosby's long-time wife since a wave of sexual assault allegations began swirling several weeks ago. (AP photo ) SPRINGFIELD - Lawyers for Camille and Bill Cosby have asked a federal court to delay Camille Cosby's deposition scheduled for Wednesday in Springfield. A federal magistrate last week ordered Camille Cosby to answer questions about her husband's alleged sexual misconduct. But the Cosby legal team want to appeal that ruling and has asked for a delay. In court papers field Monday, the Cosby legal team said it tired to work out a delay with the plaintiffs, in this case women who said Bill Cosby sexually abused them and then defamed them by denying publicly their claims of abuse. But plaintiffs instead said they would use federal marshals to compel Camille Cosby to appear at the deposition. Camille Cosby's testimony would follow a dramatic week in unfolding story of the once-beloved entertainer. Bill Cosby was arrested and charged Wednesday with drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home in Pennsylvania 12 years ago. Eight women are suing Cosby for defamation in federal court. They are among approximately 50 women who have come forward over the last year alleging that he sexually assaulted or had unwanted sexual contact with them decades ago. He also faces a lawsuit in the California state courts. The eight are Tamara Green, Katherine Mae "Kathy" McKee, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Louisa Moritz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis and Angela Leslie. All claim in their suit that Cosby allowed his representatives to portray them as liars after they went public with their allegations. Cosby has also countersued seven of his accusers saying that they defamed him. McKee was not sued because she hadn't filed her complaint when Cosby countersued. Bill and Camille Cosby have a home in Shelburne. Over the next decade, economists and business leaders say America faces a shortage of millions of skilled workers for blue collar jobs as Baby Boomers retire. Now, Oregon is planning ahead by ramping up efforts to train Generation Xers and Millennials to fill middle-skill job openings in technical fields. NewsHours Christopher Booker reports. Full Story: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/how-oregon-is-investing-in-the-next-generation-of-blue-collar-workers/ Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. by Tanya Gazdik , January 4, 2016 With the enormous popularity of the HBO medieval fantasy TV series, its no surprise that a story about Wyndham enlisting a Game of Thrones actor in its marketing activities was the top travel segment story of 2015. The $100 million global effort is the largest integrated umbrella marketing campaign in the programs history, Josh Lesnick, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Wyndham Hotel Group, told Marketing Daily. The campaign stars Norwegian film actor, producer and writer Kristofer Hivju. Social media-themed efforts seemed to especially capture readers interest. Other popular stories in the travel category included Loews' Campaign Features Social Media Photos, Holiday Inn Express Hits Road With Pancake Selfie Express and Marriott Partners With YouTube Stars For Original Content. advertisement advertisement Several stories about studies that examined brand perception that crossed all categories also proved to be popular: Apple, Nike, Chipotle Emotionally Engage Millennials and Amazon Remains Best Perceived; Trivago Is One To Watch. A heartwarming story about Mars Sheba brand donating millions of cans of food to animal shelters was the top pet segment story last year. The campaign was tied to the National Random Acts of Kindness Day. The company initially donated 2 million cans and then pledged to donate an additional 1 million cans -- one for every share, view or like of a video showing how happy the cats at one of the shelters were about receiving the initial donation through partner organization Rescue Bank. Consumers were encouraged to use the hashtags #ShebaGives and #RAK. Another Mars brand garnered the second-highest readership in the category: Mars' Temptations Intros 'Snacky Mouse' Treat Dispenser. The story detailed a marketing campaign to back an interactive toy, the Snacky Mouse. The weighted, mouse-shaped wobble toy is designed to dispense Temptations treats as cats bat, bobble and play with it. In the financial services category, a story about two studies that examined the unique financial mindset of Millennials drew the most readers. Another story about a YouGov BrandIndex analysis looking at insurance companies was also popular. The study found that despite paying less attention to GEICO and Progressive advertising, consumers are still doing the same amount of business with the companies. by Richard Whitman , Columnist, January 3, 2016 Gillian Vigman. Is her name familiar to you? It should be. Lately, it seems, she's been in practically every ad on the planet. OK -- so that's a blatant over-generalization, but the woman has been in a lot of ads! Vigman is an actress who has appeared in "The Hangover," "The Hangover II" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." She also been in "Cougar Town," "New Girl," "Suburgatory," "Californication," "United States of Tara," "Scrubs," "CSI" and "Supernatural." Oh, and she was also on MADtv. The woman is busy! As for ads, are you ready? 1-800-Contacts, Chase, Jack in the Box, DirecTV, Swiffer, California Milk, Esurance, McCormick, Hanes, Splenda and Buick. It's kind of par for the course in advertising. Once you agency folk have latched on to one good thing (be it a song, a location or a particular actor), you all just can't wait to jump on the bandwagon and do the same thing. Or so it seems. by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, January 4, 2016 At the beginning of January 2008, Hillary Clinton held a 15-point lead over then Sen. Barack Obama in national polls. One of the most recent national polls this cycle, fielded by CNN/ORC, has Clinton up 16 points on Vermont Sen. and presidential nominee Bernie Sanders. The Democratic primary race, as far as the Sanders campaign is concerned, is nowhere near being decided. Fortunately for Hillary Clinton, there are only three more Democratic debates and only one before the Iowa or New Hampshire primaries. Sanders will have to campaign fiercely as we approach Feb. 1, the date of the Iowa caucuses. With a Clinton backers taunting quote hanging on the wall of Sanders Iowa HQ -- There is no Sanders organization -- the paid Sanders team in that state has grown to 100. This doesnt include trained volunteers in each of Iowas 1,681 caucus precincts -- crucial cogs in driving election day turnout. advertisement advertisement According to The New York Times, Sen. Sanders told a crowd in Iowa that he doesnt want to get Secretary Clinton nervous, but [he] thinks [the Sanders campaign will] win here in Iowa. While Clinton leads Sen. Sanders in Iowa polls by 12.8 points in the most recent Real Clear Politics average, a recent poll has Sanders barely five points behind in that state. Additionally worrisome for Clinton, Sanders quickly gained in the final months of 2015, since some polls put him 32 points behind Clinton as recently as early December. New Hampshire is where Sanders could seriously shake up the primary. If he wins big there, which is plausible, having given Clinton a run for her money (or even winning) in Iowa, we could experience something akin to 2008. A major similarity between the 2016 Sanders and 2008 Obama campaign is an intense grassroots focus. The Sanders campaign sent out an email to supporters over the weekend underscoring their fundraising success in 2015. Some 2.5 million people have contributed to Bernie Sanders campaign for a whopping $73 million in total donations for the year. Robust fundraising was especially evident in the last quarter of 2015. $33 million flowed to Sanders compared to $37 million to the Clinton campaign, excluding money raised through the DNC and the Hillary Victory Fund. President Obamas surge in the 2008 election polls came at the very beginning of the year, starting before the Iowa caucuses. Lets see if the Sanders campaign can recreate the same enthusiasm to propel his campaign to an improbable nomination. by P.J. Bednarski , Staff Writer @pjbtweet, January 4, 2016 The new year is starting with some bad news for Netflix. Baird Equity Research this morning downgraded the stock from outperform to neutral this morning, and from there, it was katy bar the door. Shortly after 10:30 this morning, Netflix was trading down by around 6%, and amid a down market today--off 450 points at mid-morning--Netflix was among the most conspicuous nose-divers. According to an account from Barrons, Bairds William Power readjusted his price target to $1115 from $128 based, in part based on a survey of 3,000 U.S. residents that showed flattish growth. In our Q4 U.S. survey, 46% of respondents stated that they were Netflix streaming subscribers vs. 47% in Q3 and 35% a year ago. This appears to point to more flattish Q415 U.S. subscriber progress, and, if accurate, potentially raises some questions around the U.S. subscriber growth trajectory, Power wrote. We would also note that Netflixs $1 price increase went into effect for new subscribers on October 8, which could have had a greater impact than we originally anticipated. advertisement advertisement I dont know enough about Netflixs subscriber growth or what rattles investors, but this, by itself, seems a little premature because, as Power otherwise pointed out, Bairds consumer surveys dont appear to be ironclad trend documents. As our survey is conducted online, we generally view results as representative of broadband-connected homes, Power writes, and notes they typically overstate penetration levels. On the other hand, Netflix stock advanced 134% in 2015, making it the top S&P 500 performer, so cooling off wouldnt seem to be so unusual, especially on a lousy day on Wall Street. Likewise, Amazon shares are down significantly today. Monness Crespi Hardt lowered its rating to neutral; as Motley Fool points out, Amazons stock zoomed 119% in the last year, so it just might be due for a cooling off, too. The turndown for Netflix comes as a financial meltdown in China spooked the market. Mainland China stock shares sunk 7% and circuit breakers (brand new in China) halted trading. Economic reports say Chinas economy sank dramatically last month, and that kind of talk makes Wall Street fear a worldwide slowdown. Tensions in the Mideast are also giving investors the jitters. That China situation probably isnt helping Yahoo, either, because of its increasingly vital interest in Alibaba, which stands as Yahoos major up-side. Also, according to the New York Posts Claire Atkinson, dissident Yahoo investors are pushing to have the company sell its Internet business instead of splitting it off into its own company, as perpetually-beleaguered Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer intends. The Post reports hedge fund Starboard Value intends to wage a proxy battle and nominate its own board. Both situations are creating a stir in the stock market today, where Yahoo is also off more than 6% too. pj@mediapost.com by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, January 4, 2016 General Motors is betting $500 million that self-driving cars are the future. On Monday the automotive giant announced an investment in Lyft just days prior to an expected official announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from Google and Ford that the duo would create a joint venture to build autonomous vehicles and other car-related technologies. Saudi Arabias Kingdom Holding, Janus Capital Management, and Japanese e-commerce firm Rakuten also contributed to the financing for a total of $1 billion. In March 2015, Rakuten purchased an 11.9% stake in Lyft, the San Francisco-based ride-sharing service. The company invested $300 million as the lead investor in Lyfts series E investment round. The deal could create a global delivery service for the etailer, as it sets up shop on sites like Chinas JD.com. advertisement advertisement For GM, the 107-year-old American automaker, will create rental hubs countrywide that will make vehicles owned by GM available to Lyft drivers on a short-term rental basis. The ultimate goal will see the two combine experiences in manufacturing, autonomous technology, mobile and consumer software to create a self-driving car network. The deal marks the first time a large carmaker has joined with a ride-hailing company, but its not the first time an executive at a major car manufacturer has made an investment in a ride-sharing business. Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford invested personally in one of Lyfts early funding rounds through his venture firm, Michigan-based Fontinalis Partners. Not through Ford. Lyft also is working on lead generation by getting companies to deep link into their app, mobile search links that lead directly to apps instead of Web pages in mobile browser. It enables consumers in Open Table, for example, to order car service without switching apps. The addition of 3D enhancements to the worlds biggest database for cancer research and drug discovery should be a huge boost to researchers looking for more effective ways to develop new cancer treatments. Share on Pinterest The database now holds the 3D structures of nearly 3 million niches on the surface of nearly 110,000 cancer-causing molecules. Thus conclude researchers who have completed major updates to canSAR, a vast, publicly available cancer database that draws on knowledge from fields like biology, chemistry, pharmacology and structural biology to help interpret experimental data and make predictions useful for drug discovery. The team, from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London, UK, describes the new enhancements to canSAR in the journal Nucleic Acids Research. A significant feature of the update is the addition of 3D structures of faulty proteins and maps of cancers communication networks. Other improvements include better browsing and search tools, new summaries of disease and cancer lines, and enhanced batch analysis tools, note the authors of the Cancer Research UK-funded project. Senior author Dr. Bissan Al-Lazikani, who has led the development of canSAR, and whose research at ICR focuses on developing and applying multidisciplinary computational techniques to support drug discovery, says: Our aim is that cancer scientists will be armed with the data they need to carry out life-saving research into the most exciting drugs of the future. The canSAR database has been going since 2011 and aims to use big data to build a detailed picture of how most human molecules behave. The database already houses billions of experimental measurements that map the effect of a million drugs and chemicals on human proteins. It has also appended this information with genetic data and results from clinical trials. Dr. Al-Lazikani explains why the resource is so useful: Scientists need to find all the information there is about a faulty gene or protein to understand whether a new drug might work. These data are vast and scattered, but the canSAR database brings them together and adds value by identifying hidden links and presenting the key information easily. The out-of-hospital birth setting in Oregon was associated with a higher risk of perinatal death, while the in-hospital birth setting was associated with a higher risk for cesarean delivery and other obstetric interventions (e.g., induction or augmentation of labor), according a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University. "This study continues the national dialogue about the care, setting and health care systems that can provide more women with a safe, healthy birth that meets their birthing preferences," said Jonathan M. Snowden, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the OHSU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "Our findings show that Oregon women are very likely to have a safe delivery in any setting. While those who deliver at home or in birth centers are much more likely to have a normal, vaginal delivery, there is also a small but statistically significant increase in risk for adverse baby outcomes." The study, which looked at outcomes for mothers and babies based on birth setting, was conducted using data collected from Oregon birth certificates in 2012 and 2013 on what a mother's intended birth setting was when she went into labor. The study compared two groups of 'low-risk' pregnancies, meaning the babies were head down, close to their due date, and not twins or triplets. One group was planning hospital birth, the other out-of-hospital birth. "While the overall risk for perinatal death was low in all settings, the stakes can be high," said Aaron B. Caughey, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair in the OHSU Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, associate dean for Women's Health Research and Policy in the OHSU School of Medicine, and paper co-author. "As health care providers, we need to make sure women know what the trade-offs are so they can make an informed choice that reflects their birth preferences." The key findings were: While rare in both groups (less than 0.5% in all settings), there was a statistically significant higher risk of perinatal death in planned out-of-hospital births compared to planned hospital births. Neonatal seizures were also rare in all settings (less than 0.5%), and were significantly higher in planned out-of-hospital births compared to planned hospital births. The cesarean section rate was significantly lower in planned out-of-hospital births compared to planned hospital birth (24.7% in the hospital, 5.3% out of hospital). Risk of C-section was 24.7%, making the absolute difference between birth settings large (a difference of 20%). However, risk of perinatal death was very low in all settings, so the absolute extra risk associated with planned out-of-hospital birth was also less than 0.5%. Mothers who planned out-of-hospital birth had a significantly increased risk for blood transfusion, likely related to postpartum hemorrhage. Planned out-of-hospital birth was associated with decreased use of obstetric interventions across the board (e.g., augmentation of labor, induction of labor or C-section). The group planning hospital birth had significantly more mothers with high blood pressure, diabetes or a prior C-section, and overall, they were a higher-risk group. This is the first birth certificate data set in the country in which women were asked about intended place of birth, regardless of where they delivered. Because the authors knew which women planned a hospital or out-of-hospital birth, they were able then to properly categorize outcomes by the intended place of birth. In the past, a woman may have started labor at home and intended to deliver at home, and then needed to be transferred to the hospital due to complications and delivered in the hospital. If outcomes were not good, the outcome was categorized as a hospital outcome. This paper also addresses the overuse of C-sections in U.S. hospitals, a topic on which Dr. Caughey and the research team are nationally known experts. "There is now consensus in the medical and midwifery communities that the U.S. C-section rate is too high, and the desire to avoid a C-section may shape women's choices when seeking out-of-hospital birth," said Ellen Tilden, Ph.D., C.N.M., assistant professor at OHSU School of Nursing and study co-author. "It's really important that we strive to make birth safer in any setting, both through decreasing fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality out of the hospital but also through supporting safe vaginal birth in hospitals." Out-of-hospital births in Oregon account for about 4% of total births (2.4% home birth, 1.6% birth center), the highest rate of any state, so about 95% of births take place in the hospital. About 57% of out-of-hospital births in Oregon are attended by licensed direct entry midwives, 20% by certified nurse-midwives, 13% by naturopathic doctors, and 7.7% by unlicensed midwives. These two charts show which providers perform births in which setting, and define the types of midwives and their trainings/certifications. Nationally there has been a significant increase in the rate of home births. Between 2004 and 2008, the home birth rate increased by 20%, and by another 24% between 2008 and 2012, so about 1.4% of U.S. women had a home birth in 2012. The authors agree that working to integrate the maternal health care system would be good first steps. Specifically, they recommend focusing on: Looking to countries with better integrated maternity care systems, like the Netherlands, where midwives are the lead care providers for healthy women Developing formal guidelines for which women are appropriate candidates for out-of-hospital birth Improving communication and collaboration between in- and out-of-hospital providers Creating an agreed upon transfer system where patients can easily be transferred to a hospital when needed "The history and political tenor of the debate between out-of-hospital and in-hospital birth in our state and nationally has polarized the issue at a time when we sorely need a productive exchange," says Snowden. "It is important to recognize that we all -- families, birth attendants, and policymakers -- share the common goal of helping birth occur with the best possible outcomes for all." Music festival organisers should ensure partygoers have access to free drinking water, shade, 'chill out' zones, and adequate first aid services to help ensure the safety of patrons, according to the AMA. AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said today that a spate of drug-related deaths and hospitalisations at music festivals in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane late last year, had highlighted the need for organisers and those attending to take care when attending such events. "Summer can be a great time to get together with friends and attend outdoor events like music festivals," Professor Owler said. "But sometimes things can go tragically wrong, and the AMA wants people to have fun in safety." In late 2015 two young people died and dozens were taken to hospital in a critical condition after taking illicit drugs at a series of Stereosonic festivals in the major capital cities. Professor Owler said taking illicit drugs, particularly in an environment where people are outdoors all day in the sun surrounded by large crowds, was extremely dangerous. "Taking illicit substances is a dangerous activity, and tragically we have seen the consequences when someone takes a pill, powder, or liquid without knowing the active ingredients," he said. But the AMA President said it was not just illicit drugs that posed a safety risk. He said consuming too much alcohol, not drinking enough water, and spending hours in the sun without a hat or sunscreen all put the health of partygoers at risk. "In everyday life, drinking too much alcohol often leads to harm," Professor Owler said. "But particularly doing it on a hot day at a music festival can result in some serious health problems." Professor Owler said festival organisers should make fresh drinking water freely available. "Providing free drinking water is a health prevention measure. Festival organisers have a duty of care to their patrons to ensure that profit is not put ahead of health." He said they should also provide sufficient shaded places and chill out zones for festivalgoers seeking a break, and they need to ensure there are first-responders and first aid-trained staff commensurate with the crowd size. He said partygoers also had a role to play in ensuring their own safety by not engaging in risky and potentially harmful behaviour, and by taking some sensible precautions like wearing sunscreen, protective clothing and sensible footwear, and keeping an eye on the weather. Addex Therapeutics, a leading company pioneering allosteric modulation-based drug discovery and development, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to dipraglurant for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia associated with Parkinson's disease (PD-LID). Orphan drug status provides Addex with a number of benefits including reduced development costs and seven years US market exclusivity from launch. Dipraglurant is a novel small molecule inhibitor of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) that has successfully completed Phase II proof-of-concept testing in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients suffering from debilitating levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), an indication that has no approved treatment options. Addex is currently conducting an mGlu5 receptor occupancy clinical trial and is preparing to start a Phase III pivotal trial in PD-LID. "Orphan drug status for dipraglurant in PD-LID is an important regulatory milestone for us and recognizes the therapeutic benefits that dipraglurant can bring to PD patients", said Sonia Poli, CSO of Addex. "Dipraglurant has already demonstrated its potential to reduce dyskinesia in PD patients and we have started consultation with the FDA to define the clinical development program in this rare disease." "Achieving orphan drug designation is a key milestone as we execute our strategy of focusing Addex portfolio of clinical programs in rare neurological disorders", said Tim Dyer, CEO of Addex. "We recently reported positive interim data from our ongoing mGluR5 receptor occupancy clinical trial and now plan to move dipraglurant directly into a Phase III pivotal trial in the US." About Orphan Drug Designation Orphan drug designation is granted by the FDA Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) to novel drugs that treat a rare disease or condition affecting fewer than 200,000 patients in the United States. The designation provides the sponsor with a seven-year period of U.S. marketing exclusivity from launch, as well as tax credits for clinical research costs, the ability to apply for annual grant funding, clinical research trial design assistance, and waiver of Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) filing fees. About Dipraglurant Dipraglurant is an oral, small molecule allosteric modulator that inhibits selectively the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), a Class C G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR), with potential to be used in combination with levodopa or dopamine agonists or as a standalone treatment for Parkinson's disease levodopa-induced dyskinesia (PD-LID), motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, US and European Phase II study in PD-LID, data showed that dipraglurant met the primary objective of the study by exhibiting a good safety and tolerability profile. Dipraglurant also demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in LID severity with both 50 and 100 mg doses. Dipraglurant reduced dystonia severity in addition to chorea, the two major LID components. Efficacy was measured using the modified Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale and patient diaries documenting "off-time" (impaired voluntary movement), "on-time" (with or without dyskinesia) and sleep. Additional endpoints include the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, the Clinical and Patient Global Impression of Changes scales, and an evaluation of the patient's mood using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The trial was supported by a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. About Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia Associated with Parkinson's Disease PD-LID are involuntary movements that appear after 3-5 years of treatment with dopamine replacement therapies. They may affect any body area e.g. face, trunk, limbs, that occur when a patient takes levodopa. Patients suffering from LID commonly present with irregular migrating contractions or twisting and writhing due to dystonia, chorea, however other forms of abnormal movements have also been observed; peak-dose dyskinesia is the most common form and is associated with peak plasma levels of levodopa. Symptoms of LID are serious and can restrict the dosing of levodopa which may result in inadequate control of Parkinsonian symptoms. In addition to the impact on quality of life associated with uncontrollable involuntary movements, patients with LID are easily fatigued, present a risk of injury to themselves as well as caretakers, and suffer pain due to dystonia. Researchers will soon undertake one of the largest-ever long-term clinical trials of a system designed to help regulate blood sugar levels of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus. If the so-called artificial pancreas system performs in patients as hoped, it could lead to commercial trials and eventual regulatory approval in the United States and abroad. With $12.7 million in support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the system developed by a team of researchers from the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) will be tested in 240 patients at nine sites in the U.S. and Europe. The two six-month trials will begin in early 2016, in collaboration with a half dozen other institutional partners. Already one of the most common chronic disorders, the incidence of diabetes is increasing worldwide. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.25 million Americans have type 1 diabetes. In people living with the disease, the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas so that little or none of the insulin needed to regulate blood glucose is produced. Diabetics must vigilantly monitor blood glucose levels and, when necessary, administer doses of insulin either via needle injections or infusion pump. Failure to maintain proper blood glucose levels through insulin management can cause life-threatening hyperglycemia, or low blood sugar, among other complications. "To be ultimately successful as an optimal treatment for diabetes, the artificial pancreas needs to prove its safety and efficacy in long-term pivotal trials in the patient's natural environment," said principle investigator Boris Kovatchev, director of the UVA Center for Diabetes Technology. "Our foremost goal is to establish a new diabetes treatment paradigm: the artificial pancreas is not a single-function device; it is an adaptable, wearable network surrounding the patient in a digital treatment ecosystem." Through a marriage of control engineering with medical practice and behavioral science, the artificial pancreas system is designed to supply the appropriate levels of insulin by not only reacting to changes in the body, but accurately predicting blood glucose levels in advance. The artificial pancreas is not a replica organ; it is an automated insulin delivery system designed to mimic a healthy person's glucose regulating function. The closed-loop system consists of an insulin pump, continuous glucose monitor placed under the user's skin, and advanced control algorithm software embedded in a smart phone that provides the engineering brains, signaling how much insulin the pump should deliver to the patient based on a range of variables including meals consumed, physical activity, sleep, stress, and metabolism. "The idea is that this can lead to an improved quality of life for individuals with this disease - not a solution to diabetes, but a means to really extend the quality of their healthful living," said co-principal investigator and engineering lead on the project Francis J. Doyle III, dean and John A. & Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor of Engineering & Applied Sciences at Harvard SEAS. In the first of the two trials planned as part of the new NIH-funded study, 240 patients with type 1 diabetes will test the safety and effectiveness of the artificial pancreas for six months while going about their normal daily routines. The control-to-range artificial pancreas system for this trial was developed at UVA and is now licensed to TypeZero Technologies. The artificial pancreas will be compared with a standard insulin pump on two key measures: how well blood-sugar levels are controlled and whether the risk of hypoglycemia is reduced. The second trial will follow 180 patients who completed the first study for an additional six months to test the advanced adaptive control algorithm developed by Doyle's Harvard team. That system is based on zone model-predictive control (zone MPC), a strategy originally developed by Doyle and colleagues in a seminal paper published in 1996. Rather than regulating glucose levels to a specific point in the same way that a home thermostat keeps the room temperature at a precise setting, zone-MPC defines an acceptable zone for an individual's glucose levels and controls variables to stay within that range. "The biggest challenge in the design of the artificial pancreas is the inherent uncertainty in the human body," Doyle noted. "Day to day, hour to hour, the various stresses that impact the human body change the way it responds to insulin-controlling glucose. Physical stresses, anxiety, hormonal swings will all change that balance. To be able to control for those factors we need to see longer intervals of data. This is the first trial where we'll be looking at multi-month intervals of time with cohorts of subjects where we can actually see a long enough window to learn those patterns, to adapt and fine-tune the algorithms, and to improve the overall level of glucose control." In addition to UVA and Harvard, the institutions that comprise the International Diabetes Closed Loop Consortium and will participate in the clinical trials include: Mount Sinai Hospital, New York; the Mayo Clinic; Stanford University; the University of Colorado; the University of Padua, Italy; Regional University Hospital Center of Montpellier, France; the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam; William Sansum Diabetes Center, Santa Barbara; with coordination by the JAEB Center for Health Research in Florida. The UVA/Harvard award is the largest commitment by NIH under a $20 million program the agency announced in 2014 to fund advanced clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of artificial pancreas systems. The goal is to acquire the data necessary to satisfy requirements for regulatory approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other international agencies. NIH announced awards to three other teams earlier this year to: the University of Cambridge ($6.4 million); the Diabetes Wireless Artificial Pancreas Consortium (DREAM) comprised of diabetes centers in Germany, Israel, and Slovenia ($2 million); and Boston University/Massachusetts General Hospital ($1.5 million). For Doyle, the launch of the clinical trials is the latest milestone in a research pursuit now in its twentieth year. Early in his career, he co-authored one of the first papers on the systems control aspects of a hypothetical artificial pancreas. From theoretical mathematical modeling to clinical testing, his research group has been building on that work ever since, as the technology has evolved from open-loop studies with humans in the loop to closed-loop systems embedded on a chip. Doyle and SEAS senior researcher Eyal Dassau, collaborators at the University of California, Santa Barbara before joining Harvard in the fall of 2015, are also part of a team working on a pediatric version of the artificial pancreas system as well as an implantable version of the device. "To be ultimately successful as an optimal treatment for diabetes, the artificial pancreas needs to prove its safety and efficacy in long-term pivotal trials in the patient's natural environment," Kovatchev said. "Our foremost goal is to establish a new diabetes treatment paradigm: the artificial pancreas is not a single-function device; it is an adaptable, wearable network surrounding the patient in a digital treatment ecosystem." More people than ever before are turning to wearable sensors to monitor their activity levels. However, despite its origin in simple step counting, the market for wearable sensors is expanding into the more complex arena of health monitoring. ... Advertisement Coppini said, "In a few hours, I lost a baby and a unique mamma. Someone has to tell me what happened. Giovanna sent me a text message during the night in which she told me she had very strong pains but that the doctors were not paying any attention to her. She would have been 30 on January 1. She was young and healthy."Ezio Belleri, the hospital's director general, said, "An initial review of Lazzari's treatment had not found any indication of errors. The doctors did everything that could be done. Up to now, nothing indicates that any errors were made. The cause of death had been septic shock brought on by hemorrhaging that was likely the result of an unpredictably rapid spread of a very strong bacterial infection."Health minister Beatrice Lorenzin has dispatched experts to establish what happened in Brescia and three of the other four fatal cases. Their first report is due Monday, January 4, 2016.Lorenzin said, "We have to understand if the recommended procedures were followed or if there were organizational deficiencies. The priority is identifying any errors and preventing other tragedies."In two of the other cases, both of which resulted in still births, the mothers, aged 35 and 39, suffered cardiac arrest during labor, according to reports.Anna Massignan, a 34-year-old doctor from Lonigo, near Vicenza who died on Christmas Day, succumbed after an emergency Cesarean eight months into her pregnancy, reportedly following a fall at home. Her son was delivered alive but died several hours later.The one case not being investigated concerned a 23-year-old from Foggia in southern Italy who was approaching her due date and died suddenly at home. Doctors were able to perform a postmortem Cesarean and save her daughter.A leading gynecologist said some of the victims may have paid the price for inadequate screening for the risk of thrombosis or heart problems emerging during the latter stages of pregnancy.Rosalba Paesano, Professor of Gynaecological Science at Rome's La Sapienza university, said, "With preventative checks we could save so many women in the delivery room. But the health ministry does not say they are required, in reality because they cost too much. The procedures we have in place are obsolete."Consumer group Codacons said, "It would be filing requests on Monday for prosecutors to look into whether regional authorities and the health ministry had been negligent in their instructions to hospitals regarding screening measures and preventative treatment."Antonio Starita, medical director at Rome's San Camillo hospital, told La Stampa, "The one figure that stands out is that 35% of pregnancies in Italy involve women over 35 and, at this age, the maternal mortality risk doubles."Starita said blocks on new hires in parts of the health system could be creating staff shortages, particularly among midwives assigned to home visits who could pick up early warning signs of problems in pregnancy.Source: AFP Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. listening to 'California' by GrimesAround July last year I had set a new ambition to complete a year long Happiness Project. A focus on me and doing things that would make me a happier person each morning.It started well enough. I began thinking about how to treat myself better, thinking and saying more positively, making plans with the money I was saving, and spending more time with people who wanted to spend time with me.All in all, it seemed like a good start. I noticed a change in myself, and became excited about doing things like going out to eat at fancy places, and going on trips away from Auckland.It was about a similar time that my church was doing a World Vision pledge. We have one every few months where my church gives an update of what's happening in the community we're sponsoring in Cambodia, what happened on the last mission's trip and so forth. We then say prayers for them, take a missions offering for the community, and then at the end they said if we were interested, we could sponsor a child.I was a bit curious at the kids they had talked about during the service, but at the time didn't have much intention for sponsoring a kid. I mean I had trips to save for. I had birthdays to buy presents for, for a trip to Wellington I had just paid accommodation for, and a trip to Australia I had yet to book anything for. I needed to save that money for my own problems - I couldn't be much help to them.As I stared at the faces of these children, with these excuses running about my head, my friend approached us, and he noticed me staring at the World Vision booklets."You should sponsor one," he encouraged me."Oh...I don't know. I'm just looking at the moment," I said, trying to talk myself out of the subject."They say you should think of your money in four parts. One portion of your money to save, one to spend, one for the church and one portion for charity."At that moment, I thought about the way I had been treating my money. I thought my church donations helped to fulfill charities but I wasn't directly contributing to anyone. In fact, I was pretty selfish. Other than the 10 per cent I give out of my salary to the church each month, I was either spending or saving money for myself, or the people close to me. But giving money to a child's family - that benefits them way more.I became convinced. I may think I don't have that much money, but it's worth hundreds more to a community who values every cent.I looked at the children I could choose to sponsor for a long time, feeling guilty I couldn't just give money to all of them. But eventually I decided on a 13-year-old girl from Cambodia. Mainly cause I was worried that being 13, she'd become ineligible to be sponsored for much longer. I knew people often chose younger kids to sponsor cause they're cuter. But I felt drawn to help her. Life is tough at 13 but I know my life here couldn't compare to hers.I took her photo and put it into a frame which I could put at my desk at work. I didn't actually have any photos on my desk until I put her photo there. I use her photo as a reminder that even when I have a bad day at work, there was a reason why I was there. Someone was counting on me and was appreciating me helping their community, even if I wasn't physically there to do so.A few months later, I got her letter. She told me about her family, her school and how she loved riding her bike the most. I couldn't help but be really stoked to receive it. I've never met this girl in my life but I just felt like I had taken her into my family, to care for her and to hope she's safe.Thank you Sreinuon for giving me another good reason to wake up each morning.[note: this post is in no way endorsed by World Vision or any religious organisation.]--- Iran reacted with fury to the execution of prominent Saudi Shi'ite sheikh Nimr Baqr Al-Nimr by the Saudi authorities on January 2, 2016. Iranian leaders threatened that his death would be avenged, declared that the Saudi regime was nearing its end, allowed enraged protestors to set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and changed the names of streets where Saudi representations are located to Sheikh Nimr Street. The following are excerpts from reactions by Iranian officials and regime bodies. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei threatened Saudi Arabia with divine retribution: "The blood of this oppressed martyr, which was spilled unjustly, will have a rapid impact, and the hand of divine retribution will seize the Saudi politicians by the throat. This oppressed senior cleric did not take the step of calling upon the [Saudi] people to take up arms [against their regime], nor did he plot in secret. All he did was openly criticize [the Saudi regime]." Khamenei added that the execution was "a political error on the part of the Saudi regime. God will not relinquish [avenging] the blood of the innocent. The blood spilled unjustly will rapidly deliver a blow to the politicians and officials of this [Saudi] regime."[1] Khamenei's websites in Persian and English posted an image of Al-Nimr, with a quote from Khamenei's statements (see below).[2] On the same day, Khamenei's English-language website also posted the following images, which equate Saudi Arabia with ISIS.[3] Any differences? The front-page headline of Kayhan's January 3 issue read: "The martyring of Ayatollah Al-Nimr was green-lighted by America; The Aal Sa'ud [Saudi Arabia's royal family] have dug their own grave."[4] Kayhan front page, January 3, 2016 Kayhan's editor, Hossein Shariatmadari, who is close to Supreme Leader Khamenei, called to take revenge on Saudi princes visiting the U.S. or Europe. In a January 3 article, he described an anti-Iranian and anti-Shi'ite camp consisting of the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Israel, and claimed that Turkish President Erdogan had collaborated with the Saudi King in Al-Nimr's execution. He wrote: "The execution of Ayatollah Nimr was a frightful crime on the part of the Saudis, who are the willing slaves of the U.S. This heralds a truth that cannot be denied, namely that the Aal Sa'ud family is coming to the end of its road in the course of its evil and criminal life, and therefore it is going mad. "The Saudis do not deny that they are very afraid for their future. Looking around the region... they see Islamic Iran, whose power is growing from day to day and who is liberating the outposts that were captured by the forces of arrogance [i.e., the U.S.] and handed over to their proxies in the region, such as Aal Sa'ud, and Aal Khalifa [the Bahraini royal family]. Iran is the only powerful opponent of ISIS and of other takfiri terrorist groups that were cultivated by the joint camp of Israel, Aal Sa'ud and Erdogan... Saudi Arabia knows that it has reached the end of its evil, treasonous and criminal life. Today, the more it struggles, the deeper it will sink into the quagmire... "Saudi Arabia is experiencing the exact same thing that is happening in the West Bank. Undoubtedly, if Saudi Arabia is not more criminal than the Zionist regime, it is [at least] no different from it. Hence, the Muslims must treat the Saudi princes, officials and military sites just as the Palestinian revolutionaries [treat the Zionist enemy]. In particular, we can express a hope that the hedonistic and murderous Saudi princes, who periodically visit America and Europe to travel and to party, will be targets for [those wishing to] avenge the death of Ayatollah Nimr, whose blood was spilled unjustly, [and those wishing to avenge] the blood of the oppressed women and children in Yemen, Nigeria, Syria, Iraq and [all other victims of] Aal Sa'ud's crimes and murders."[5] Basij commander Mohammad Reza Naqdi said: "Since its establishment by the criminal Britons, the cursed and defiled Saudi regime has done nothing but kill Muslims. The Muslims, both Shi'ite and Sunni, will surely avenge Sheikh Nimr's death, [punishing] especially the main elements [responsible for his execution], namely Britain, the U.S. and Israel."[6] The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) also issued a statement condemning the Saudi regime, which stated that "the demise of the Saudi regime is imminent" and that it "will surely pay a heavy price for this crime [of executing Al-Nimr]." The statement said further that "the criminal act of Aal Sa'udOC is part of a Zionist plot intended to widen the rift between the nations of Islam and between the Shi'a and the Sunna... Nimr's execution... demonstrates that these crimes emanate from the Wahhabi philosophy and the takfiri Salafi stream whose banner is now borne by ISIS... The blood of the martyred Nimr will cause the banner of this prominent cleric, the banner of resistance and fighting, to be raised aloft in all parts of the Hijaz by the Islamic nation in Saudi Arabia, especially by the zealous youth of the Hijaz. In the near future [this youth] will take powerful revenge upon the criminal Aal Sa'ud and will topple the very foundations of this hated anti-Islamic regime."[7] The head of the Majlis national security and foreign policy committee, Ala Al-Din Boroujerdi, said that "there is no reason for the diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia to be good," and added: "I asked Foreign Minister [Javad] Zarif to minimize the staff at the Saudi embassy in Tehran."[8] As another propaganda measure, the Iranian regime changed the names of the streets in Tehran and Mashhad where Saudi representations are located to Sheikh Nimr Street (see photo below).[9] After, on January 2, enraged protesters set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran and broke into the Saudi consulate in Mashhad in northern Iran, the spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Hossein Jaber-Ansari, called on Iranians to avoid congregating in front of Saudi representations in the country, but expressed understanding for their feelings.[10] Iranian President Hassan Rohani condemned Al-Nimr's execution, but also the Iranian "extremists" who had rioted outside the Saudi representations, calling their behavior "a disgrace to the [Iranian] regime and a blow to Iran's honor."[11] The Tabnak website claimed that the torching of the Saudi embassy had been carried out by Saudis in the embassy itself.[12] Rioters besiege Saudi embassy in Tehran (Image: Facebook.com/Iran.Military, January 3, 2016) The Fars news agency, which is close to the IRGC, published the following cartoons in response to Al-Nimr's execution:[13] "Aal Sa'ud beheads itself" "Aal Sa'ud's sword beheads the martyr Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr" "Aal Sa'ud, the servants of the Zionists, execute Sheikh Nimr" "Aal Sa'ud's method of governing" Endnotes: On January 2, 2016, Saudi Arabia's interior ministry announced that the kingdom had executed 47 individuals,[1] Sunni and Shi'ite, on various charges, including carrying out terrorist operations and inciting to terrorism; espousing takfiri ideology; attacking the military and security apparatuses; killing security officers and civilians; and acting to undermine Saudi Arabia's economy, standing, interests and its relations with "sister and ally countries."[2] Of those executed, 43 were Sunnis, members of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group that acted in the kingdom in 2003-2004, targeting the army and security apparatuses as well as oil facilities. The most prominent of the Sunnis was Fares Aal Showil, aka Al-Zahrani, considered to have been one of the group's leaders and chief ideologues. The other four people executed were Shi'ites. The most prominent of them was oppositionist cleric Nimr Baqr Al-Nimr, one of the leaders of the Shi'ite protests in Saudi Arabia, known for his criticism of the Saudi regime and his support of Iran.[3] In 2012 he rejoiced in the death of then-crown prince Nayef bin Sa'ud bin 'Abd Al-'Aziz,[4] and in one of his sermons he explicitly declared his loyalty to Iran.[5] In July 2012 Al-Nimr was arrested in the Shi'ite city of Al-'Awamiyah, in the Al-Qatif region in eastern Saudi Arabia, on charges of inciting against the royal family and fomenting protest among the city's Shi'ite population. In October 2014 a Saudi court sentenced him to death for "igniting sectarian fitna" in the kingdom and disobeying the king with the aim of creating chaos and toppling the regime. Subsequently, the Saudi appellate court and the Supreme Court rejected Al-Nimr's appeal of the sentence.[6] Sheikh Nimr Baqr Al-Nimr (Image: alalam.ir) Saudi Mufti: The Executions Are Sanctioned By The Koran, Sunna The Council of Senior Clerics, Saudi Arabia's top religious body, voiced its support for the executions, and its head, Saudi Mufti 'Abd Al-'Aziz bin 'Abdallah Aal Al-Sheikh, said that they were "based on the Koran and the Sunna." He added: "The sentences were according to the shari'a, and there is no doubt [regarding their validity], for these are the punishments set out in the Koran and they apply to everyone..." He also praised the independence and fairness of the Saudi judicial system, stressing that every capital case is reviewed by more than nine judges.[7] Saudi Press: The Kingdom's Security Is A Red Line; This Was A Victory For Justice The Saudi press also rallied to defend the executions, particularly that of Shi'ite sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr. Front-page headlines declared that justice had been done and the kingdom's security had been defended. Editorials in the government papers likewise claimed that the executions had been justified. They argued that national security was a "red line" and that terrorists who had killed innocent people deserved death; that all the verdicts and sentences were handed down after due process, which demonstrates the fairness of the Saudi judiciary; and that the execution of the 47 terrorists, both Sunnis and Shi'ites, was part of Saudi Arabia's war on terror, which "makes no distinctions of religion, sect or gender," since "everyone is equal before the judiciary and the law."[8] "Justice Has Been Done" (Al-Sharq, Saudi Arabia, January 3, 2016) "Justice Has Triumphed, The Kingdom Is Safe" (Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, January 3, 2016) Cartoon justifies the executions with quote from the Koran (2:179): "In [this law of] retribution there is life for you" (Al-Sharq, Saudi Arabia, January 3, 2016) It is noteworthy that Saudi analysts and op-ed writers likewise expressed sweeping support for the executions. Tariq Al-Homayed, the former editor of the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, wrote that they were necessary in order to protect Saudi Arabia from extremists and terrorists who threatened its security. He noted that the accused had received a fair and protracted trial, while they themselves never granted their victims even a single hour to flee. He also stressed that Saudis should not heed the criticism of Iran and others, because Saudi Arabia's security was more important.[9] Journalist Daoud Al-Shiryan wrote in the London-based Saudi daily Al-Hayat that Al-Nimr was an "Iranian agent" and that "his plan was no different than that of Osama bin Laden."[10] Liberal journalist Mansour Al-Nuqidan justified the executions and called on Saudi Shi'ites to "help the authorities in keeping the adolescents and young people from falling into the abyss of terrorism and the furnace of political extremism."[11] Report in 'Okaz daily: 'There Will Be No Compromise Or Negligence When It Comes To Homeland Security' (Okaz, Saudi Arabia, January 3, 2016) Image in Al-Watan daily shows Al-Nimr (right) and Aal Showil side by side, to demonstrate that Saudi Arabia operates against both Shi'ite and Sunni terrorists (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia, January 3, 2016). Saudi FM Announces Severing Of Diplomatic Ties With Iran Al-Nimr's execution sparked a storm in the camp of Iran and its supporters, and senior Iranian officials, headed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, strongly condemned the action and the Saudi regime, and even threatened revenge. Enraged Iranian demonstrators set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and rioted at the Saudi consulate in Mashhad in northern Iran.[12] Rioters wreak havoc in Saudi embassy in Tehran (Image: Facebook.com/Iran.Military, January 2, 2016) In response to the Iranian statements, the Saudi Foreign Ministry issued an announcement condemning Iran, accusing it of supporting and harboring terrorists and of flagrantly intervening in the internal affairs of the region's countries and acting to destabilize them. The announcement said that "the statements of the Iranian regime expose its true [character], as expressed by [its] support for terror, and continue the policy of undermining the security and stability of the region's countries... By defending the actions of terrorists and justifying them, the Iranian regime becomes a partner to their crimes, and it bears full responsibility for its policy of incitement and escalation." It was further claimed that Iran harbored known terrorists for years and also financed and operated terror cells that were dispatched to the Gulf countries.[13] Subsequently, Saudi Arabia summoned the Iranian ambassador to Riyadh to protest the hostile statements by Iranian officials, and informed him that it viewed these statements as "a flagrant intervention in Saudi affairs".[14] Iran, relying on the book of "Sectarianism" that is printed in "Hell," is behind "the burning of the Saudi embassy" (Al-Madina, Saudi Arabia, January 4, 2016) The tension in the relations peaked later than day when Saudi Foreign Minister 'Adel Al-Jubeir announced at a press conference that Saudi Arabia was severing diplomatic ties with Iran. Al-Jubeir explained that Saudi Arabia refused to work with a "terror-supporting state that spreads chaos and sectarianism throughout the Islamic world," and added: "We will not allow Iran to threaten our security and to assist those who threaten the region's stability."[15] Tweet by the Saudi Foreign Minister: "The aggressive policy of the Iranian regime against Saudi Arabia and the region is a central reason for severing diplomatic ties with it" (Twitter.com/AdelAlJubeir, January 4, 2016) The tension was also expressed in acerbic editorials condemning Iran in the Saudi government press. For example, on January 4, 2016, 'Okaz editor Jamil Al-Ziabi published an article titled "Cutting Off the Serpent's Head," and the Al-Iqtisadiyya daily attacked Iran in an editorial headed "Iran Not Only Nurtures Terror But Creates It." Saudi Arabia works to cut down terror while Iran cultivates it (Al-Iqtisadiyya, Saudi Arabia, January 3, 2015) Gulf States Align With Saudi Arabia: The Executions A Crucial Measure In Defense Of Saudi Security Many Sunni Arab states, including Jordan, Egypt, Sudan and Tunisia, hastened to side with Saudi Arabia and condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Particularly noticeable in their support were the Gulf states, which hastened to defend Saudi Arabia's right to carry out the court's ruling as a punitive and deterrent measure. The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Dr. 'Abd Al-Latif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, issued an announcement in which he condemned the "barbaric attacks" on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and the Saudi consulate in Mashhad and placed full responsibility for these "terrorist actions" on the Iranian authorities. He claimed that Iran's failure to prevent them was a grave violation of its commitment to defend diplomatic representations in accordance with international law and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. He condemned the "aggressive and inciting" Iranian statements regarding Saudi Arabia's execution of the terrorists, calling them a flagrant intervention in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs that had encouraged the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic representations. He declared that the GCC states stood with Saudi Arabia and emphasized their support for its decisions regarding the war on terror in all its forms and regarding the pursuit and prosecution of terrorists and fomenters of fitna and riots.[16] In a similar vein, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh 'Abdallah bin Zayed Aal Nahyan declared that his country "fully supported the sister [state] Saudi Arabia and the deterrent measures against terror and radicalism that it adopted as a clear message against terror and against those preaching fitna and riots in attempt to divide Saudi society and threaten it." He stated further that "carrying out the sentences handed down to the convicted individuals was Saudi Arabia's fundamental right after it was proven that they had committed the crimes, and a necessary measure to ensure the security of all members of the Saudi nation and all those residing on its soil."[17] Likewise, in response to the attacks on the Saudi representations in Iran, the UAE summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest these attacks and "Iran's intervention in a sovereign Saudi affair."[18] The hypocrisy of Iranian officials who protest Al-Nimr's execution while hanging members of Iran's minorities: a "Sunni," an "Ahwazi" and a "Baluchi" (Al-Arab, London, January 4, 2016) Bahrain also expressed support for the Saudi measures and announced that it too was severing diplomatic ties with Iran.[19] The Bahraini ministry of the interior even threatened to punish anybody criticizing the executions. An announcement it issued said: "It is Saudi Arabia's right to adopt all the security measures that it sees fit to preserve security and stability in its territory. We will take all necessary legal measures against any infringement or negative response to [Saudi Arabia's] execution of the sentences, via an announcement or declaration, and will view this as incitement to fitna and schism and as a threat to public safety."[20] Front page of Bahraini daily: "The Execution Of The Sentences By Saudi Arabia - A Necessary Measure" (Akhbar Al-Khalij, Bahrain, January 3, 2016) The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry also condemned the attacks on the Saudi representations, saying that they constituted a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention and stressing that the Iranian regime was responsible for the safety of the representations and their staff.[21] The Qatari foreign ministry, too, issued a statement supporting Saudi Arabia's actions to address the threats it faces and condemning the attack on the Saudi embassy, calling it a "clear violation of international law and treaties" and charging the Iranian government protect all diplomatic representations and take firm measures against lawbreakers.[22] The sweeping support for Saudi Arabia in the Gulf was also expressed in editorials in the official Gulf press. For example, the Qatari daily Al-Arab published an editorial titled "Support for Saudi Arabia Is an Anti-Sectarian Duty," which rejected the Iranian claim that Al-Nimr was executed for being a Shi'ite. The daily called to support "the big sister" Saudi Arabia and to "protect its internal unity from all biased sectarian calls, especially since Saudi Arabia's strength is in principle the strength of the [entire] Arab and Islamic world..."[23] An editorial in the Qatari daily Al-Raya claimed that this was an internal Saudi matter and no one had the right to intervene in it. The daily claimed further that "the executions were carried out as part of measures that Saudi Arabia is adopting to deter anyone threatening its security and the security of its people and residents... The Saudi judicial system makes no distinction between Sunnis and Shi'ites. It refers only to people, applying objective legal principles regardless of sectarian affiliation. Therefore, intervention and casting doubt upon the Saudi legal system is inappropriate..."[24] Saudi Arabia fights terrorism (Al-Watan, Kuwait, January 2, 2016) As for the position of Oman, which is also a member of the GCC but is known to be close to Iran, there were conflicting reports. At first, the Omani foreign minister was quoted as saying that Al-Nimr's execution did not benefit conditions in the region. However, the Omani foreign ministry hastened to deny this on its Twitter account, emphasizing that Oman supported the GCC and its stance on the Iranian attacks and that the initial report was baseless. Omani foreign ministry's tweet (Twitter.com/MofaOman, January 3, 2016) Criticism By Shi'ites In The Gulf States In contrast to their governments, Shi'ites in the Gulf condemned Sheikh Al-Nimr's execution, and protests, some of them violent, were held in the Shi'ite Al-Qatif province in eastern Saudi Arabia. Protestors chanted slogans against King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, whom they held directly responsible for the execution, and called to topple the Saudi regime, and carried banners with the slogans "Death to the Aal Saud [Family]" and "Death to America."[25] Kuwaiti Shi'ite MP 'Adnan 'Abd Al-Samad described Al-Nimr's execution as "martyrdom" (istishhad) and warned that it would complicate the situation and provoke widespread responses, particularly since Al-Nimr preached a non-violent struggle.[26] In Bahrain, the Coalition of February 14 Youth, a Shi'ite opposition group that initiated the August 14, 2014 protests against the Bahraini regime, declared a general state of mourning commencing Sunday (January 3) and called for angry demonstrations throughout Bahrain. Demonstrations were indeed held in several locations, including in the Sitra peninsula, a Bahraini Shi'ite opposition stronghold, and the towns of Sanad and Al-Qadam. Announcement calling for demonstrations (Facebook.com/Coalition14th, January 2, 2016) Demonstration in the town of Sitra following Al-Nimr's execution (Facebook.com/Coalition14th, January 2, 2016) * E. Ezrahi is a research fellow at MEMRI; H. Varulkar is Director of Research at MEMRI. Endnotes: Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, is perhaps the most written about personality in the history of India. Our history books would tell us how he won us our freedom with his sheer courage and determination. How he made the British shudder with his simplicity and steadfastness? What new fact do we tell you about him then? Leaving aside the details of his political achievements, we talk about Gandhi the man. What is it that makes a man so great so as to influence an entire nation and change the course of history? How did a simple boy from Porbandar became the father of the nation? What made Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi a leader powerful enough to lead the masses? 1. Being Politically Correct Goes A Long Way In Making People Agree With You Wikimedia Commons The reason the British found themselves helpless in front of Gandhi was because he was always politically correct. Governments can punish you when you do harm to property or life, but what excuse do they have when all you are doing is sit peacefully with a placard in your hands? 2. A True Leader Never Compromises His Principles Flickr/Vinoth Chandar When there was violence at Kakori during the Civil Disobedience Movement, Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the movement despite the fact that it was going strong at that. The movement was supposed to be a non-violent movement, and that single incident at Chauri Chaura was a violation of this principle. All important leaders of the freedom struggle tried persuading him not to withdraw the movement, but Gandhi was firm. A principle had been violated, a few Britishers had been killed the movement had to be cancelled. A true leader never compromises his beliefs. 3. Honesty Is The Best Policy Because It Saves Your Ass Minus Risks Flickr/thierry ehrmann Sometimes being honest saves your ass way better than a white lie would. When Mohandas Gandhi was a child, he stole some gold from his brothers bracelet, to clear their debt with the local cigarette seller. Feeling guilty about the incident, Gandhi confessed the truth in front of his father. He expected a harsh scolding, but instead his father broke into tears and hugged the frightened boy. His honest confession had melted the heart of his rather strict and righteous father. 4. Being Yourself Is The Key To Making People Respect You Imitating someone or something thats in vogue is tempting. Be it clothes, manner of speaking, taste in food or lifestyle we are imitating the world around us. When Gandhi went to London to attend the Round Table Conference, he did not take special efforts to change his attire to fit in the western country. Rather, he had his humour intact when on meeting the king at Buckingham Palace, he remarked that the king was wearing clothes enough for the two of them. 5. Invest In Yourself Because You Are The Brand You Have To Sell Wikimedia Commons For a true leader has a set of beliefs and ideas. That is exactly what makes him someone worth following. Dont hide or hesitate to own them up in front of the world; give the world something to reject or accept. Build your identity. Of course, Gandhis strong convictions and ideologies were what made him the Mahatma we know of. But the big lesson we can take from this was how he internalised his ideologies so much so that it started reflecting in the man himself. Today we call it building a brand image. An honest one. The iconic dhoti had a story behind it. An advocate of cleaniless, Gandhi was appalled when he saw a village woman wearing a very dirty saree. He rebuked her and asked her why she never washed her saree. The woman told him she had only one piece of clothing and she couldnt possibly wash it and wear it at the same time. This was an eye-opener for MK Gandhi who was deeply moved by this state of poverty in India. That day, he decided to further minimalise his lifestyle, and discarded the full-length dhoti for the iconic knee-length dhoti. 6. Never Give Up This is an oft said but nevertheless understated lesson. If theres one thing thats common in all successful and great personalities in this world, that is determination. They never give up. You fail once, twice, multiple times keep trying. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb after more than a thousand failed attempts. The one thing that kept Mahatma Gandhi going for decades was perseverance. He faced opposition, backlash, public hostility, but he kept his ground. His relations with his own family are known to have been strained due to his sometimes rigid ideologies, but never did he 7. Give People Free Will And Theyll Always Be Loyal To You BCCL Gandhi never forced his ideology on people. He gave them a choice. His views about eating meat prove this point all too well. Though himself a vegetarian, he supported peoples right to eat beef. Heres an excerpt from the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Volume 88, published online by the Gandhi Heritage Portal, which documents Gandhis prayer discourse on 25 July, 1947. In India, no law can be made to ban cow slaughter. I do not doubt that Hindus are forbidden the slaughter of cows. I have been long pledged to serve the cow. But how can my religion also be the religion of the rest of the Indians? It will mean coercion against those Indians who are not Hindus. No wonder he had followers from all religions. 8. Keep Calm, And the World Will Be Yours BCCL keeping a balanced head on your shoulders is the most important thing to do during a crisis. Nothing annoys your enemies more than seeing you calm and composed when you are down in the pits. Mahatma Gandhis life is an example of this fact. The well-qualified lawyer was thrown out of a train for travelling in a first class compartment. MK Gandhi took that incident as a reason to stay back in Africa and fight against apartheid. And he did, for 21 years. 9. Peaceful Resistance Gives You An Edge BCCL Popularly termed Gandhigiri as in the Bollywood movie Lage Raho Munna Bhai, the philosophy of non-violent resistance is not only a noble concept but also a clever politically correct solution. Aggression and violence can be curbed under the pretext of the law, but a non-violent attack cant. An angered confrontation often blurs out reason and hurts the ego; if you want to make the other person see your point of view, try the soft route. You will always be preferred to someone who blows up at the slightest of disagreements. 10. Knowing when To Say No is As Important As Saying Yes A no uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a yes merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble, Mahatma Gandhi, once said. One very important habit that goes a long way in the road to success is being able to say no at the right time. Often, under pressure or due to the fear of displeasing the other person, we unwillingly agree to things we dont want to go ahead with. Be it something as simple as eating out, or something bigger like agreeing to a marketing proposal your boss suggested, we often succumb to outside pressure. One exceptional quality that sailed MK Gandhi through many years was determination. Gandhi was no superhero. He was no scholar or genius, and started his life as an average common man. But what he had was determination to build a destiny, and a will to stand true to his principles. People like him have built their lives and careers from scratch, and have faced every challenge with unwavering nerve and sass. They have rebuilt and reinvented themselves, just like Gillette has with its new Gillette Fusion Proglide Flexball. Leonardo Da Vinci is often dubbed as one of the most gifted persons to have walked the face of the earth, and rightly so, because he was a man of many talents. He was a polymath whose skills were without precedent at that time and his areas of interest included literature, botany, geology and architecture but the love of his life was painting. He is credited for the half-length portrait of Mona Lisa, best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world". So, here are some of the most amazing facts about Leonardo Da Vinci, the universal genius. 1. Leonardo Da Vinci Didnt Have A Fancy Education; Instead He Was Homeschooled Wikipedia Commons Leonardo Da Vinci was raised by a single father and didnt receive a formal education in Greek or Latin. He remained, throughout his life, a self-learner; something which made him one of the most respected intellects of the renaissance era. 2. He Was A Paranoid Dyslexic And Ambidextrous Throughout His Life Wikipedia Commons Leonardo Da Vinci was ambidextrous, that is, someone who could draw with one hand and write with another. He also trained himself in the art of writing in the opposite direction to what is normal which means that people would sometimes need a mirror to read the text on the images. This art of reverse writing was very helpful in concealing hidden messages. 3. He Was Not Just An Artist. Leonardo Da Vinci Was Also A Scientist And A Musician Facebook Leonardo Da Vinci was a very talented musician. He created a silver lyre, a string musical instrument, and presented it to Duke Of Milan as a gift to ensure peace. 4. It Is Believed That Vinci Painted Mona Lisa From 1503-1506 Twitter Leonardo Da Vincis masterpiece for which he is known worldwide took him 3-4 years to paint. He, however, is believed to have worked on Mona Lisas lips for almost 10 years. He was a meticulous painter who could only complete 15 paintings in his entire lifetime. 5. Vinci Made Over 13,000 Pages Of Notes, Drawings And Designs In His Notebook YouTube Leonardos notes and drawings spread over 13,000 pages contain one of his most famous sketches of The Vitruvian Man. Later when he was allowed to dissect human corpses at hospitals in Milan and Rome he created over 200 drawings with his observations. Other trivial things like grocery lists and the list of people who owed him money are featured in his notebook. 6. Leonardo Da Vinci Was The First One To Explain Why The Sky Is Blue YouTube Leonardo Da Vinci was a curious man and he was the first person in recorded history to explain why the sky is blue. It was this curiosity which also led him to make correlations between the human body and geometry described by the Roman architect Vitruvius. 7. Leonardo Also Appears As A Model In Two Works Of Renaissance Art Pinterest He is believed to have been the model for the bronze stature of David in the Bargello and also the Archangel Raphael in tobias and the angel. 8. Leonardo Was An Apprentice To The Artist Andrea Di Cione In 1466 And He Left Painting When He Saw Vincis Works Pinterest Under the tutelage of Verrocchio, Leonardo Da Vinci flourished as an artist and a painter. He collaborated with Verrocchio for The Baptism of the Christ and Leonardo painted the young angel who held the robe of Jesus which proved a far more stunning portrait than the master himself. 9. One Of His Most Famous Paintings The Last Supper Is Regarded As The Most Mysterious Painting Of All Time Pinterest Leonardo was a master cryptic. He was known for ingraining hidden messages in his work of art and The Last Supper is a reminder of that fact. There have been numerous theories related to the painting which many believe depicts Mary Magdalene sitting beside Jesus instead of John. 10. Leonardo Da Vinci Was A Visionary, He Designed Armored Car, Flying Ships, Pile Driver And A Pully Pinterest Because he didnt care for orthodox learnings and had many masters, Leonardo attained mastery in drafting, drawing, metallurgy, carpentry and a host of other useful skills. Therefore, he was often able to conceptualize things which were well ahead of his time. And all this was possible because he believed that, Simplicity was the ultimate sophistication, quite similar to the new Fusion Proglide with Flexball technology by Gillette which makes maximum contact over contours of your face and gets virtually every hair, and therefore, makes shaving a seamless experience which every guy looks forward to! Own a piece of the new Gillette tech here. Not all heroes wear capesthis is a saying that suits no one better than the soldiers of a country. Its the second day of attack at IAFs Pathankot base and the situation continues to remain grim. The Indian army, as we speak, is engaged in a head-on bullet exchange with 2 terrorists who came out of hiding yesterday. While we are sure that our soldiers will crush these bastards sooner or later, some of our bravehearts gave the supreme sacrifice while saving the IAF base. These are the heroes we will never forget. 1) Captain Fateh Singh (Defense Security Corps) ANI One of the very first soldiers to counter attack the terrorists, Capt. Fateh Singh was a former Commonwealth Gold medalist shooter. Till last year, Singh was posted in Mhow under Dogra Regiment and was transferred to Pathankot later. 2) Corporal Gursewak Singh (Garud Commando) NDTV A brave IAF soldier, Singh was also one of the very first responders to the attack. Singh got married only two months back. 3) Lt. Colonel Niranjan Singh (NSG) Facebook Heading the NSG bomb disposal squad at Pathankot, Niranjan Singh lost his life while neutralizing a grenade in the hands of one of the terrorists. The braveheart is survived by his parents, wife and an 18-month-old daughter. 4) Hawaldar Kulwant Singh (Defense Security Corps) ANI Another DSC soldier who sacrificed his life while safeguarding the IAF base. 5) Hawaldar Jagdish Chandra HT The very first soldier to attack the soldiers bare-handed, Jagdish killed a terrorist with his very own rifle when they barged in shooting in the mess. 6)Sanjeev Singh Rana HT Another hawaldar with the DSC, Sanjeev took bullets to his chest and successfully held up terrorists. 7) Hawaldar Mohit Chand The latest DSC jawan to succumb to his injuries. More information about him is awaited. As and when we receive more information on this, we will update this article. Its the first Monday of 2016 and most of us have been able to drag ourselves to offices after a long weekend of lazying around, binge eating, and general merriment. As we enter the new year with some old and new resolutions, and lessons from the past, lets look at the one inspiring change that happened during the past year. The year 2015 was a year of hope and inspiration. It was the year of the common man. No, we arent talking about the Aam Aadmi Party. We are talking about the ordinary citizens who became heroes when the situation demanded. We are talking about those who rose above odds, those who went out of their way to help others, those who put self-interest beyond others. These stories have existed for long, there have been heroes among ordinary citizens for ever, but their stories have come out with such full force only in the recent times. And social media has an important role to play in this. Be it the 67-year-old retired railway employee in Hyderabad who repairs potholes with his pension money Facebook or the daughter of a sanitation worker who completed a masters degree in microbiology at the age of 13, and graduated from the same college where her father worked as a sweeper, Daily Mail Or the girl who became a badminton champion after she lost her leg in a road accident in Mumbai, Facebook stories of uncommon courage and determination were abound. These are amazing stories but they are never news, because they didnt happen in a singe day, which is why such stories have always found little space on the front pages of a newspaper or theprime time of a news channel where breaking news is the be-all. And this where internet and the social media stepped in and helped spread their stories. The struggle and journey of a hero can never be contained in a few words anyway. One of the most impactful mediums of depicting a story is, of course, the silver screen. The heart-rendering tale of Maanjhi, the mountain man, or that of Milkha Singh couldnt have been better explained anywhere else other than a movie. And It Brought Help And Justice Too Instant help and justice was a thing of rarity in pre-internet India. It still is, mostly. But then there are rare instances that restore your faith in humanity and in the power of social media. Take for example the case of 65-year-old Krishna whose typewriter was cruelly broken by a merciless cop in UP. 10 50 , 4 ... Posted by Ashutosh Tripathi on Saturday, 19 September 2015 A photographer Ashutosh Tripathi from Dainik Bhaskar happened to click the pictures of the cop kicking the old mans typewriter, and uploaded what he saw on his Facebook page. As the post went viral on social media, help poured in from across the country and the cop was promptly suspended. We wonder what would have been the scene if the story hadnt gone viral. Social Media, A Double-Edged Sword That Has The Power To Create As Well As Destroy Its a double-edged sword while it brought out inspiring tales of people, it also fell prey to rumours and falseities. One of the most talked-about examples of this was the Jasleen Kaur case in which a simple Facebook post created much furore and ruined the reputation of an innocent man. Facebook As the false story spread and social media (including us) picked it up like a bloodthirsty hound, the world pounced on the mans reputation and shredded it to pieces. Only to realize he was framed. Internet shaming has become a dangerous trend and theres an aggressive mob mentality to it. Passing judgment is best left to the judiciary. newint (dot) org Now theres no way of knowing the truth except what we hear from others, but what is in our control is our reaction to it. Not jumping to conclusions is perhaps the one of the qualities of a rational mind. This is the onus on every media company out there, as well as every reader. As most of us have access to the internet right now, we all have a part to play. Most of us function as cogs in the wheel of internet journalism. With each post about a real story we share on our personal social media profiles, we are contributing to creating a story small or big. As such we also hold a responsibilty towards the truth. To sum it up, social media/internet journalism is a double-edged sword. While it certainly helps to spread a story far and faster, it does more harm than good if the story is untrue. But that doesnt mean we go back two steps and let the underdogs, the unsung heroes remain in anonymity. It just means that social media has to achieve a more balanced and responsible stance, and agression should never be a part of it. To many more stories of hope and inspiration! Happy new year! Jurgen Todenhofer is the only journalist who spent 10 days with ISIS and returned home still breathing. Along he brought the tales of ISIS-led tortures and atrocities. But he also told the world that ISIS fears only one countrys soldiers in the world. No, they are not American, Russian or British soldiers. They are the Israelis. wikimedia (dot) org Hard to guess, but this is what the German journalist said in an interview and he added that Israel is not included in ISIS' planned "first stage" of colonization in the Middle East. While ISIS continues to make threat videos aimed at Jews and upholds its aim to eradicate Jews from the face on the planet, they also shit their pants when they hear about the Israeli armys supreme guerillas and metropolitan terrorism. Newsweek (dot) com Well, its a very well established fact that the Israeli army is not something to be messed with. They not only have topnotch weaponry but also soldiers who posses the best man-to-man combat skills. NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. The alarm rings. Yelling is heard from the nearby hallway. As footsteps get closer, Vickie Tippitt knows she is in a world of trouble. Her grandmother bursts through the door. With a rope in hand, Tippitt feels the wrath of child abuse come down on her by her own flesh and blood. That was the life of one woman until she finally found her calling in the Air Force. Tippitt, now a master sergeant and member of the 926th Force Support Squadron and the Nellis Air Force Base Yellow Ribbon representative, said life wasn't always easy growing up in Fort Worth, Texas. "I remember having a good childhood at 3 years old all the way until I was 7. Once I turned 7, that's when a lot of things changed for me," Tippitt said. "That's when my mother and father decided to separate. There was a lot of fighting, and my dad was very, very abusive to my mother. Then we moved to Arlington, Texas, into an apartment where it was my mother, four siblings and me. That's when everything was just really confusing." Tippitt's mother worked the night shift every day and still holds the same job today. Tippitt and her siblings were often alone, before her grandmother came for them. "All of the sudden, I could remember being whisked away from school one day by my grandmother and when we left with her we never got to come back," Tippitt said. "She took us to this house in Fort Worth, and all of a sudden we were in this house for at least a month or two, where all of us kids were alone. We had no lights, no gas, there was nothing really. We had to eat lemon cake mix." With Tippitt's grandmother scarcely around, the house became a wreck. "At that age, you do whatever you want. If there is no gas and no water, you are outside going to the bathroom, using the neighbor's water. One time, my brother set the mattress on fire because he was upset," Tippitt said. "More than anything, I remember my grandmother finally coming back to the house after being away for a while and she was very upset. She put us all in a row and beat the hell out of us with a very thick rope that they use to lasso horses or cows." After being beat by her grandmother, Tippitt and the rest of her siblings moved from place to place before settling in the housing projects. "We moved to some apartments, and the abuse continued. Mean things were said and done. Then we moved from the apartments to the Butler housing projects," Tippitt said. "It was a chaotic home. I will say that there were a lot of drugs, alcohol, a lot of partying, and drug addicts. There was always someone in the home." With the house always full of people, Tippitt was counted on to clean up and serve guests while they were there. "When people came to the house, I always had to keep the house clean, wash the dishes, and basically be a servant to anyone that was there," Tippitt said. "If it wasn't done, I would get the hell beat out of me and also I wasn't able to go to school. School for me was a great place to go." Tippitt and her sister were often subjected to sexual passes made by the male guests. "There were several nights where men would try to come into me and my sister's room and they would try to talk us into being with them or touching them," Tippitt said. "I'm blessed that I never got molested. It was like that from 7 to 15 years old." When Tippitt was 15, she would sneak out of the house with her sister and see her mom to escape the harsh environment in which they lived in. "I finally ran away when I was 15 years old. We piled our clothes into trash bags and threw them out of our window. When it was time to go to school, we were standing at the bus stop with our trash bags waiting to run away to our mom," Tippitt said. When Tippitt was a teenager, she worked as a lifeguard in the summer and then, on a whim, she decided to check out an Air Force recruiter's office. "I was a lifeguard and I was going for lunch one particular day, so I decided to go to the mall to go shopping and I went to a different area of the mall near the back where I noticed there were all these different recruiting agencies," Tippitt said. "They had Navy, Army and then I saw Air Force and I knew when summer time was over I had no idea what I would be doing. So I decided to go into the Air Force recruiting office and as soon as I walked in I told the recruiter I wanted to join the Air Force." After joining, Tippitt found out how her grandmother had been able to take her and her siblings away from her mother. "My grandmother called the welfare office and had informed them that my mother had died. She told them that she wanted full guardianship of all of us kids. They told her she needed to produce a death certificate," Tippitt said. "At one point, she used to be a mortician and that fell into her profession. However, she wasn't able to produce a certificate and called back saying that she thought she was dead because she was a drug addict. They believed her and she took full guardianship. My mother spent time in jail for it, and she never did drugs." Tippitt is part of a new Storytellers program at Nellis Air Force Base and hopes to connect with other Airmen who have experienced similar struggles. "When Airmen hear these stories, it's going to transform lives," said Lt. Col. Dwayne Jones, the 99th Air Base Wing chaplain. "We are going to hear that there is hope. We can be resilient in difficult times. If life dealt you a bad hand, there is always an opportunity for a new beginning." Now that Tippitt has fully left her past behind, she looks back in astonishment. "I never thought I would be smart enough or courageous enough to leave that type of environment," Tippitt said. "Today, I don't consider myself a victim, I just consider myself being able to take care of myself." Demand for the new tabs had indeed led to small shortages, but the problem was suddenly blown up into something much larger... Russia has named the U.S. as one of the threats to its national security in a new assessment signed by President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to a published report. Reuters reported the document, "About the Strategy of National Security of Russian Federation," replaces the 2009 version endorsed by former President Dmitry Medvedev, which didn't mention the U.S. or NATO. Russia continues to increase its role in solving global conflicts, which has caused some reaction from the West, according to the document. It is the first time Russia has officially named the U.S. a national security threat, according to Reuters. Russia claims its heightened global reach has caused "counteraction from the USA and its allies, which are striving to retain their dominance in global affairs." The document claims that Western pressures will likely lead to increased "political, economical, military and informational pressure" on Russia. Relations between Moscow and the West became to deteriorate stemming from Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Western nations have repeatedly accused Russia of funding insurgents in Ukraine despite Moscow's denials. Russia's security document accuses the U.S. and EU of supporting an "anti-constitutional coup d'etat in Ukraine," which has deepened the rift between Moscow and the West. The U.S. and European Union have imposed sanctions against Russian companies and businessmen. Russia, in turn, clamped down on food imported from EU countries. The expansion of NATO also concerns Russia. The document also said the U.S. has expanded its military biological labs in neighboring countries. According to Reuters, the document fails to mention anything on Russia's ongoing airstrikes in Syria, which has aided the Bashar al-Assad regime in the embattled nation. Assad, a Russian ally, has received military support from Russia in its civil war against U.S.-backed rebels and the Islamic State. C-141C Hanoi Taxi Exhibit at AF Museum Restoration crews at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force recently moved the Lockheed C-141C Hanoi Taxi into the museum's new fourth building. The aircraft, which airlifted the first American prisoners of war out of North Vietnam in February 1973, will be displayed in the Global Reach Gallery. The public will be able to view the aircraft as they move into the fourth building from a designated area on the museum grounds. The 224,000 square foot fourth building is scheduled to open to the public in June 2016. Information on the new fourth building will be updated regularly on the museum's website. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world's largest military aviation museum. For more information, visit the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force website. For more Air Force news, visit the Military.com Air Force section. Everything You Need to Know About the Amazon Military Discount, Tips and Tricks The Amazon military discount is a promotion Amazon.com has given around Veterans Day for its Amazon Prime service. TWO mid-season television premieres tonight. Join Shnugs as she returns to live blog The Bachelor on ABC a 8/7c pm. The Biggest Loser premieres on NBC at 9/8c pm. Join Steven as he live blogs. Jordan Smith Set to Perform on Peoples Choice Awards The Voice winner, Jordan Smith, will perform on Wednesdays Peoples Choice Awards at 9/8c on CBS. Cant wait for @NBCTheVoice winner @JordanSmithLive to perform at @PeoplesChoice Awards on Wednesday! Tune in at 9/8c on CBS. #PCAs Roma Downey (@RealRomaDowney) January 4, 2016 Gearing up for Wednesdays Idol Premiere! #Idol Alert: Tomorrow, @RayvonOwen is taking over our Snapchat account ? (AmericanIdolFox) American Idol (@AmericanIdol) January 4, 2016 Tori Kelly on What It Feels Like to Have Simon Cowell Call Your Voice Almost Annoying Even though she has a totally ~fire~ track with Ed Sheeran out now (I Was Made for Loving You), she was once cut from American Idol. Back when she was 16, judge Simon Cowell called her voice almost annoying. Tori was eliminated from season nine. Deep down, I knew I was good, and I knew I could do it, she said. I needed to get knocked down and to build up a thick skin. Who knows what I would have been singing about otherwise? You have to go through things in order to inspire others with your story. Read more at Seventeen.com The End of American Idol, TVs Last Cultural Big Tent The series became an island of mainstream in a sea of niche by embodying contradictions. It grabbed a broad audience by bringing together singers from different pop subcultures country versus bubble gum, R&B versus rock and pitting them against one another in a battle of national preferences. It was simultaneously vicious and sentimental, a uniter and a divider. It changed the rules for making pop stardom. Then social media changed those rules again, giving musicians an even more direct conduit to audiences than reality TV did and contributing to the shows eventual downfall. New York Times Randy Jackson looks back on 15 years of American Idol (and the elimination that still pains him) Youve sat through countless auditions have any songs been completely ruined for you? Every season we banned songs. People were just killing Alicia Keys, they were killing Adele, they were killing Mariah [Carey]. People love and admire those songs, but sometimes theyre just so terrible its like, my God, come on, save yourself and save us. Save the world! But Alicia Keys Fallin. Alicia, God bless you, baby, but man, I dont know what was goin on with them and your song. Read more at Entertainment Weekly Ryan Seacrest gets nostalgic as final American Idol season bows January 6 As Idol lost its mojo in recent seasons, the original judges left, replaced by the current trio of Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban. But there has been one constant: Seacrest. I never finished a season thinking, Gosh, I dont want to do this anymore. Im bored with it. I never felt that. I always look forward to doing the show. Ive always loved hosting it. It never felt right to say goodbye or walk away. Although the show is ending, Seacrest is psyched that they will have an official farewell season. Im excited to re-live some of these great memories. Its been such a great part of my life. Read more at AJC.com The Marlins are known to be seeking starting pitching, and the Boston Globes Nick Cafardo reported over the weekend that Miami has had interest in a trade for Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova this winter. The match makes some sense on paper, as Nova, who is reportedly being shopped by the Yankees, will be affordable at a projected $4.4MM (via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz), which would come in well within Miamis budget. The Marlins have been linked to starters and said to be comfortable in the range of a $12MM annual value, so Novas relatively modest salary shouldnt be a problem. The link to Nova continues somewhat of a recent shift in reports pertaining to Miamis search for rotation upgrades; the Marlins have now been connected to Nova, Doug Fister, Cliff Lee and Edwin Jackson within the past week all likely one-year commitments. Previously, the team was linked to multi-year deals for starting pitchers and was also said to be eyeing young starting pitching in trade scenarios with a variety of teams, including the Indians and Mariners. Outfielder Marcell Ozuna could yet return a notable starting pitcher, but Miamis asking price on the 24-year-old has been high (he certainly wouldnt be in play in any talks for Nova). A few more notes from the NL East DETROIT, MI - General Motors is adding a third shift and more than 500 jobs at its Lansing Grand River Assembly plant. The Detroit automaker said Monday the additional shift, coming online in the second quarter, is needed to meet forecast demand for the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro. The positions are both hourly and salaried. The company is in the process of hiring now. The Lansing plant will employ about 2,300 workers once the latest round of hiring is complete. In November 2014, GM temporarily laid off 350 hourly workers at the Lansing plant. The second shift returned when GM shifted production of the new Camaro from an Ontario, Canada site to the Lansing one. GM also produces the Cadillac ATS and CTS models at Lansing Grand River Assembly. The sixth-generation, 2016 Chevy Camaro was unveiled last May in Detroit. The first wave of the new pony cars started rolling off the assembly line in October and were expected to arrive at dealerships and to other customers by mid-November. David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook. -099f0faec8fac47e.JPG Alexandra Clark, owner and head chocolatier at Bon Bon Bon. (Elaine Cromie) HAMTRAMCK, MI - Alexandra Clark has gotten a lot of recognition in national media over the last few months for her work with tiny chocolates in Detroit, and now Forbes Magazine pegged her on its 30 Under 30 list. Amid other notable chefs, restauranteurs and food and drink names from around the country, the 27-year-old Metro Detroit native is highlighted as the first artisan chocolatier to open a shop in Detroit in about 40 years. Clark opened Bon Bon Bon in Hamtramck in summer 2014. Since then, she's opened a second location in downtown Detroit, a pop-up (now closed) in Ann Arbor, and she's working on another Detroit location. (Related: Bon Bon Bon to attempt world's longest box of chocolates) The bonbons are small, custom hand-made chocolates that come in over 100 flavors. Each piece sells for $3. Clark told MLive in 2014 her chocolates are "anti-mystery," in that everyone can see exactly what's inside the bonbons. Bon Bon Bon currently employs nine women, who all have a hand in the chocolate-making process. They make everything from a traditional chocolate ganache-filled shell, to more inspired mixes, like sweet potato pie. Clark studied chocolate for eight years at various venues and worked for a few high-end chocolatiers before moving back to Michigan to open her own shop. And that shop took off. Bon Bon Bon would sell out of more than 2,000 bonbons on a Saturday in Hamtramck -- the only day they were open for retail business. The 1.5-inch-long rectangular chocolates consistently sell out, despite the team making thousands of chocolates each week. The popularity stems from the variety. Each chocolate has a unique look and number, and it's not unusual for Clark to offer up samples. Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter. DETROIT - Garlic fiends will soon have to search outside of downtown to get their Bucharest Grill fix. The most popular Bucharest location -- the place where it all started in 2006 inside of Park Bar downtown -- is closing. Bucharest owner Bogdan Tarasov told multiple Detroit media it's not his choice to move. In a Detroit Free Press report, Tarasov said he knows a lot of people will be disappointed with the move. So the small space that had been packed with workers grilling, packaging and serving up quick, hot Middle Eastern grub is moving up the river to a shopping center on East Jefferson avenue by the end of February, according to reports. Tarasov told the Free Press he was given notice of the move from the Park Bar landlord three months ago. While initial reports indicated Bucharest Grill was being forced out of the downtown location, Park Bar issued a statement on Facebook Dec. 30, which said the popular shawarma location and the bar were parting on "very amiable and mutual terms." There are rumors and misleading articles about Park Bar and our good friends at Bucharest Grill; we are not forcing them... Posted by The Park Bar Detroit on Wednesday, December 30, 2015 The downtown Bucharest location was a popular haunt after almost any event at Ford Field, Comerica Park or Fox Theater. Tarasov told the Free Press that "everything starts on that corner" on Park Avenue. They're most popular for the twist they took on the chicken shawarma sandwich. Most Middle Eastern restaurants wrap grilled or rotisserie-style chicken, beef, lamb or falafel, veggies and hummus, garlic or tahini in a warm, grilled pita. Bucharest packs a pita with all of that and some french fries. Plus, pungent garlic paste makes their shawarma stick out a little further. Bucharest just opened their third location at 110 Piquette St. near the city's New Center neighborhood. They also have a location on Michigan Avenue in Corktown. Tarasov recently confirmed that a fourth location on Livernois in the city's University District is in the works. According to the Free Press, the downtown location will move to the former Lucky's Pub and Grille location, where there will be seating and free parking. There's no word yet as to what will fill the Park Bar space. Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter. Shandra Martinez | smartinez@mlive.com Where the DeVos family donate millions Don't Edit Courtesy image Where Rich DeVos and family donate millions Amway co-founder Rich DeVos and his family are among the most generous philanthropists in the nation, ranking 20th on Forbes' annual list of the nation's Top 50 givers. The self-made billionaire and his family reported nearly $1.2 billion in lifetime giving including more than $94 million in 2014 alone. The family's five foundations gave away $89.1 million in 2013, according to tax records, which reveal how those donations were split among hundreds of charities and institutions. Here are the highlights. Don't Edit MLive file photo Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation's 2013 donations Amway co-founder and Orlando Magic owner Rich DeVos and his wife Helen gave away $48.1 million from their foundation in 2013. The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation had assets of $58.3 million at the end of 2013, according to documents filed with the IRS. That year, the foundation made 148 donations, ranging from $1,000 to $7.5 million. Seventeen organizations received at least $1 million. Don't Edit Emily Zoladz Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation Dick and Betsy DeVos gave away $7 million through their foundation in 2013. The foundation had assets of $49.9 million at the end of 2013, according to documents filed with the IRS. That year, the foundation made 121 donations, ranging from $250 to $1 million. Don't Edit Courtesy photo Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation Dan DeVos and his designer wife Pamella Rolland DeVos donated $7.1 million in 2013. The Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation had assets of $10.58 million at the end of that year, according to documents filed with the IRS. The foundation made 69 donations in 2013, ranging from $500 to more than $2.1 million. Don't Edit Don't Edit Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com Cheri DeVos' CDV5 Foundation Suzanne "Cheri" DeVos and her five children gave away $10.7 million in 2013 through their CDV5 Foundation, formerly the VanderWeide Family Foundation. The foundation reported assets of $43.27 million at the end of that year, according to documents filed with the IRS. The foundation made 74 donations, ranging from $500 to nearly $3.3 million. Don't Edit Courtesy photo Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation The Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation gave $17.87 million in donations in 2013. At the end of that year, the foundation had assets of $99.47 million, according to documents filed with the IRS. The foundation made 155 donations, ranging from $300 to $3.2 million. Don't Edit Bryan Smith The King's College: $7.5M Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation's biggest donation in 2013 was $7.5 million to King's College, a small but top conservative college housed in the Empire State Building in New York City. Richard and Helen DeVos joined the college's board of trustees in 2013, and the college's Freedom Award is named after the couple. Don't Edit Monica Scott | MLive.com Grand Rapids Christian School: $6.8M DeVos siblings Cheri and Doug gave their largest donations, $3.3 million and $3.2 milllion, respectively, to Grand Rapids Christian School Association in 2013. Generations of the DeVos family have attended the K-12 private schools. Along with Dick's donation of $300,000 and Dan's gift of $20,400, the association received more than $6.8 million total from the family in 2013. Don't Edit MLive file photo Hope College: $4M Another major donation the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation made in 2013 was $3 million to Hope College. The small Christian liberal arts campus in downtown Holland, affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, has been the beneficiary of DeVos family generosity over the years. Richard and Helen DeVos' only daughter, Cheri, is a Hope graduate, and she also gave $1,050,500 to her alma mater that year. Brothers Doug and Dick contributed $50,000 and $5,000, respectively. Don't Edit Don't Edit MLive File Photo Grand Valley State University: $3.6M The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation gave $3 million to GVSU in 2013. Long before two of his grandkids attended the Grand Rapids area public university, Rich was GVSU's biggest donor and a major fundraiser. His son Doug also gave GVSU $598,566 that year. Don't Edit R. KENNEDY National Constitution Center: $3.2M The National Consitution Center received a total of $3.2 million from Rich DeVos and his son Doug DeVos in 2013. The Amway cofounder, who is a founding board member of the non-paristan history museum in Philadelphia, gave $1.8 million. His youngest son, now the president of Amway and the chairman of the museum, gave $1.4 million. Don't Edit MLive file photo Grand Rapids Symphony: $2.24M The Grand Rapids Symphony Society received $2.24 million from two generations of DeVoses in 2013, receiving gifts from all five family foundations. Rich and Helen donated $1.5 million. Dan DeVos, past chairman of the symphony society board, gave $525,000 from his foundation. His sister, Cheri, gave $70,000; brothers Doug and Dick each gave $60,000. Don't Edit MLive file photo Calvin College: $2.2M Calvin College received $2.2 million from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation in 2013. The Grand Rapids liberal arts college is an educational institution of the Grand Rapids-based Christian Reformed Church. Helen is a Calvin graduate and Rich attended the school for a semester in 1947 before dropping out to go into business. Doug also made a $100,000 gift in 2013. In the the late 1990s, the couple told The Grand Rapids Press that they stopped giving million-dollar donations to their alma mater for a period of time after hearing from friends that DeVos and his Amway business partner, Jay Van Andel, were being criticized in the classroom by liberal faculty in the late 1960s. Don't Edit Cory Morse Helen DeVos Children's Hospital: $2.1M In 2013, all the DeVos foundations donated to the foundation of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, the health facility named after the family's matriach, Helen DeVos. Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation gave $1 million. Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation gave $642,500. Dick and Betsy Foundation gave $526,000. Don't Edit Don't Edit MLive file photo Whitney Museum of American Art in New York: $2.1M The Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation made its biggest donation - $2.1 million - to the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. Pamella is on the board of directors of the Manhattan museum that has loaned works to the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Her daughter, Sydney, recently joined the GRAM board. Don't Edit GRAM benefits from Whitney Museum relationship Grand Rapids Art Museum Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen discusses the benefits of the museum's relationship with the Whitney in New York. Don't Edit MLive file photo Spectrum Health Foundation: $1.7M The Spectrum Health Foundation, the fundraising arm of West Michigan's largest health care system, which includes Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, received $1.5 million from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation in 2013. Son Doug and Maria DeVos' foundation also gave $231,500 that year. Don't Edit Chris Clark Grand Rapids Public Schools: Nearly $1.6M Doug and Maria have given millions to Grand Rapids' public education system over the years. In 2013, the couple's foundation donated $444,000 directly to Grand Rapids Public Schools, and another $760,500 to its foundation, Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation. The foundation also received significant 2013 gifts from Cheri at $257,500, Richard and Helen at $110,000, and Dan at $25,000. Don't Edit MLive file photo Christian Reformed Church: $1.59M The Christian Reformed Church in North America Foundation received $1.59 million from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation in 2013. Both Rich and Helen have said their giving is driven by their deep faith, and their donations to the CRC have been used to expand the reach of the church. Don't Edit Don't Edit MATT GADE GRCC Foundation: $1.5M The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation gave $1.5 million to the Grand Rapids Community College Foundation in 2013. Don't Edit Jeff Schrier Northwood University: $1.5M Dan DeVos donated $1.3 million to his alma mater, Northwood University. He is currently the chairman of the Midland university's board of trustees. The business-focused university holds an annual international auto show. His brother, Dick, also gave $200,000. Don't Edit MLive file photo Holland Home: $1.3M The Grand Rapids-based nonprofit, faith-based senior services provider received $1.3 million from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation in 2013. Earlier this year, Holland Home opened a new $8.5 million rehabilitation and memory care assisted-living center in Kentwood. Don't Edit Emily Zoladz Believe 2 Become: $1.26M In 2013, Doug and Maria gave $1,265,040 to Believe 2 Become, a neighborhood initiative designed to help Grand Rapids children succeed in school, work and life. One of the group's efforts was a comprehensive program to prepare more children in area neighborhoods for kindergarten. Don't Edit Cory Olsen West Michigan Sports Commission: $1.26M Dan and Pamella DeVos gave $350,000 to the West Michigan Sports Commission, a nonprofit that supports athletic events in the region. The Grand Rapids Griffins owner led the public fundrasing campaign to build a championship baseball and softball complex in Plainfield Township. Father, Richard, donated $650,000 that same year, along with $100,000 each from siblings Doug and Cheri, and $60,000 from Dick. Don't Edit Don't Edit AP Photo/Charles Dharapak American Enterprise Institute: $1.25M Doug and Maria DeVos donated $1 million to the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C, in 2013. Father, Richard, gave $250,000; sibling Dick gave $5,000. (Photo shows President George W. Bush reacting to a question as he speaks at the AEI 2008.) Don't Edit Cory Morse | cmorse1@mlive.com Meijer Gardens: $1.23M The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation donated to $1.05 million to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in 2013. The popular Grand Rapids tourist attraction recently opened the $22 million Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Gardens. All four of his children's foundations also made gifts to the gardens that year: Dan $153,500, Doug $10,000, Dick $10,000, and Cheri $5,000. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Chicago church gets $1.05M Dick and Betsy gave $1 million to the Willow Creek Association. The Chicago-area Evangelical Christian megachurch serves pioneering pastors and leaders through world-class leadership experiences and resources, according to its website. Brother Doug contributed $50,000. Don't Edit MANUEL BALCE CENETA Heritage Foundation: $1.03M Three of the five DeVos family foundations made donations to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C. in 2013. Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation gave $1 million; Doug and Maria gave $25,000; Dick and Betsy gave $5,000. Don't Edit Chris Clark 4 other notable $1M donations from Rich & Helen DeVos Rich and Helen also gave $1 million donations in 2013 to these five groups: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation in Grand Rapids Lee University in Tennessee Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union in Virginia Yankee Air Force Inc. in Belleville, Mich. Don't Edit Don't Edit Lori Niedenfuer Cool ArtPrize among Dick and Betsy's big gives Dick and Betsy's other top donations in 2013 include. $506,000 to ArtPrize, the international art competition in Grand Rapids founded by the couple's oldest son, Rick. $460,000 to Mars Hill Bible Church, the well-known Grand Rapids megachurch were best-selling author Rob Bell got his start as a pastor. $315,000 to West Michigan Aviation Academy, the charter school housed at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport started by Dick DeVos. $301,000 to Potter's House, a Christian school in Grand Rapids that serves urban students. (Rich and Helen also gave $330,000; Doug and Maria, and Cheri each gave $75,000.) Don't Edit Courtesy of Steelcase High school among Dan and Pamella's big gives Dan and Pamella also made big donations to public education, including $400,000 to Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy Association. UPrep is part of a public-private collaboration between the Grand Rapids Public Schools and Grand Rapids business leaders including Dan DeVos and Amway chairman Steve Van Andel. Doug and Maria also donated $275,000 to the school in 2013. Don't Edit Courtesy photo/Gabriel Roux Boys & Girls Club among four $1M donations from CDV5 CDV5 donated $1 million to four organizations in 2013: Boys & Girls Club of Grand Rapids Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, N.C. Don't Edit Chris Clark LINC Community Revitalization leads Doug & Maria's other notable gifts The Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation in 2013 gave $905,000 to LINC Community Revitalization, a nonprofit business and housing organization in Grand Rapids. Their foundation's other notable gifts included: Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, Grand Rapids: $281,000 The Arbor Circle Corporation, Grand Rapids: $278,000 Wedgwood Christian Services, Grand Rapids: $275,000 Gatherings of Hope Kent County: $266,576 Don't Edit CORY MORSE Read more on Grand Rapids philanthropy Read more about the DeVos family's giving and Grand Rapids philanthropy here, including how and why Amway's DeVos family gives away billions, how MLive analyzed DeVos family's $90.9 million in annual donations and the details of GVSU's relationship with Rich DeVos. Don't Edit WYOMING -- A Wyoming family has been busy recently collecting instruments for a new music academy in Zambia. But their connection with the instruments won't end when the violins, trumpets and guitars are packed up and sent to Africa. Brad and Amber Howells, along with their children Jaedon, 12, Seth, 10, Owen, 7, and Alenia, 4, are going to Africa, too. Brad has been teaching music at Vanguard Charter Academy in Wyoming for 13 years. But when this school year is over and all the loose ends are tied up in West Michigan, he and his family will travel to Zambia, where he will begin teaching music in a whole different setting. Holland-based Poetice International is starting the school, based on a model it has used to start other music academies for orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa. But the academies are often staffed by teachers who are just visiting for a short time, Howells said. "They're going to launch a new academy in Livingstone, Zambia, and they said they would want me from the ground up," Howells said. "My passion was to go and establish more of a sustainable program." Howells said he began working with Poetice International's Zambia Instrument Project through a friend at Kentwood Community Church, which the family attends. The church held an instrument drive in 2009 that collected about 40 instruments, and since then, Brad has traveled to Africa a couple times to teach during the summer. But this will be more of a long-term commitment. The Howells' kids have already begun getting used to home-schooling, since that's how they will be schooled in Africa, he said. The family plans to stay in Zambia until the academy is well-established. After that, Poetice International may want them to start another school in a different location, or they might return to Michigan, he said. Right now, they are hoping to gather "as many instruments as we can get our hands on" to take with them, Howells said. Any type of band or orchestra instrument would be welcome, along with keyboards and percussion instruments. Supplies for the instruments, like reeds or repair kits, are needed too. So far they have collected more than 40 band and orchestra instruments, along with a couple of guitars, he said. "We're trying to see what people aren't using and maybe forgot in a closet somewhere," he said. "We want to put them back into the hands of someone who can really use them." The music academies in Africa are designed to help students in both practical and intangible ways. "When students come through they get the skill of music playing, which some can use for income," Howells said. "But a lot is more internal - it's learning how to build a skill, finding the drive and inspiration, inspiring them to dream outside the poverty situations they're in." More information about the Howells and the Zambia Instrument Project is online at poetice.org/howellsfamily/ Anyone with an instrument to donate may contact the Howells by email at howellsfamily@poetice.org or by phone at 616-206-8978. Former Grand Rapids Mayor, George Heartwell, attended the recent Climate Summit in Paris, and he returned more optimistic about whether and how the world might move forward to address the challenges and risks associated with climate change. Heartwell, who stepped down from his term-limited post Dec. 31 after 12 very successful years at the helm of Michigan's second largest city, was one 37 U.S. mayors and over 400 mayors across the globe who attended the summit. In general, Heartwell was pleased with both the major outcomes of the summit and the fact that, unlike the Warsaw Climate Change Conference he attended in 2013, the mayoral voices were heard during the Paris deliberations. "Frankly, I went to Paris with somewhat diminished expectations after what I experienced in Warsaw. But the atmosphere in Paris was electric--and we as mayors quickly became cognizant of the seriousness with which we were being treated and the overall respect we were shown." Another key to the summit's success, Heartwell added, was that, for the first time at a climate gathering, the nations attending were required to promulgate their specific greenhouse gas reduction goals ahead of the meeting. "The fact that each of the 195 countries came to the summit with specific targets for reducing emissions provided an excellent starting point for discussion." While Heartwell acknowledged that the accord is "strong on transparency but weak on accountability" and does not go far enough with respect to its specific emission reduction targets, "it is better than anything we have had to date, and it may well achieve a significant slowdown in global temperature increases." Another challenge, Heartwell said, will be whether the developed countries follow through with the non-binding, $100 billion annual pledge to help fund poorer nations which don't have the resources necessary to implement sustainability programs. For example, Congress must approve any U.S. commitment, and Heartwell is admittedly "nervous about whether we will pony up our share given how Congress has reacted to past environmental initiatives by the Obama administration." But regardless of political differences at the national level, Heartwell is confident that mayors across the world will continue to make substantial progress toward sustainability. "In cities, the rivers are going to flood, there are going to be heat waves, energy decisions have to be made. We can't just sit around and philosophize about and debate climate change; in our cities, we have to get things done." And getting things done on the sustainability front has characterized Heartwell's tenure. "One thing I am so proud of is the incredible shift in the Grand Rapids culture--in the understanding of the importance of a sustainability ethos. Over the past 12 years, we have gone from passive-aggressive resistance to a widespread embracing of a broad range of sustainability initiatives including energy conservation, water quality management, cleaner, more efficient transportation and social justice." Heartwell expressed great confidence in his successor, Rosalynn Bliss, previously a city commissioner. "Rosalynn brings experience, high energy and intelligence to the job," he said. "She will be a great leader for Grand Rapids." In addition to continuing to move such green initiatives as LED street lighting and solar energy generation forward, Bliss also will also face some major challenges, one of which is a double-edged sword. "Grand Rapids is a growing community; people want to live here. That is the good news. But managing that growth--for example, in the area of affordable housing for lower income residents--will be a major challenge for the new mayor." During Heartwell's tenure, the United Nations recognized Grand Rapids as a "Regional Center of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development (2007). In 2010, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce gave Grand Rapids the "Nation's Most Sustainable City" award, and two years later, Heartwell was given the first-place "Climate Protection Award" by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Most recently, he was honored by the National Association of State Boards of Education with its annual "Friend of Education Award." Please click here to hear my conversation with Heartwell. And please join me for every Sunday evening at 7:00 on . LANSING, MI -- Michigan Rep. Phil Phelps doesn't know whether officials at state agencies manipulated data to mask lead levels in Flint water, but he does know that there's no law stopping somebody from doing so. "As far as we were able to determine, not directly," said the Democrat from Flushing. "There's no laws on the books that say you can't manipulate data." When the legislature comes back on Jan. 13 he plans to introduce a bill that would make intentionally manipulating or falsifying information in state reports a five-year felony and fine of up to $5,000. Phelps said he wasn't saying for sure that anybody did something wrong in relation to the Flint water crisis, but if somebody did in the future it would be a crime under this bill. His understanding is that every other law on the books right now a prosecutor would have to "stretch" to apply to such an instance. "I'm not a judge, I'm not a prosecutor. I just want to make sure that this is another tool that we have in the future," Phelps said. The bill language is vague, Phelps said, and he's discussing it with other legislators. It could apply to every level of government employee, not just state employees. Phelps has had this bill in the works for months but was prompted to action by a recent response from the Auditor General that indicated employees of the Department of Environmental Quality's Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance would only be subject to penalties under state employee rules if they did misrepresent data. The Auditor General did note that "... we have no specific reason to believe that DEQ willfully misrepresented the information to the EPA." The bill could act as a deterrent for state employees who are asked to falsify information in the future, Phelps said. "I'm not targeting low-level staff or high-level staff with this. I would be worried that in the future a department director might request that an employee make a report look good or make a report come out to be an acceptable report under the guidelines," Phelps said. Phelps plans to formally introduce the bill next week. It would need companion legislation establishing sentencing guidelines, Phelps noted. Emily Lawler is a Capitol reporter for MLive. You can reach her at elawler@mlive.com, subscribe to her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler. Courser-Gamrat-promo-328x200.jpg Taxpayers spent $77,000 on legal fees in ousting former Michigan Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat. (file photo) LANSING, MI -- The Michigan House of Representatives spent $77,000 on legal services in the course of ousting former Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat, according to data obtained by liberal advocacy group Progress Michigan. Progress Michigan filed a Freedom of Information Act request about the cost of hiring the law firm Dickinson Wright in the course of expelling the two representatives. While the House Business Office maintains that it is not subject to FOIA, it does release financial information under House rules. Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan, questioned the expense by House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant. "It is troubling and incredibly ironic that two lawmakers were expelled from the House for wasting taxpayer resources, and yet, Speaker Cotter has already spent more than a lawmaker's salary on an outside firm as a result of his bungled investigation," Scott said. "Speaker Cotter seems to be using taxpayer dollars to cover up his own political missteps. Cotter should use his taxpayer-funded attorney to defend the House and pay for any outside counsel himself. " Cotter spokesperson Gideon D'Assandro said that to handle legalities around the expulsion situation internally the House would have had to bring on more staff. To outsource it to the Attorney General would have cost taxpayers, too. "It was a big deal. There's an embarrassing scandal at the heart of this but the particular question we were looking at was invoking a rarely used part of the constitution" to expel two lawmakers, D'Assandro said. The law firm is also assisting the House in defending itself against the lawsuit brought by former employees of Courser and Gamrat, and the costs for that are still to be determined. That isn't out of the ordinary -- the House spent $85,000 with the same law firm defending itself when a former employee accused Rep. Brian Banks of sexual harassment. "It looks like a large amount but honestly it's less than we spent on the Brian Banks situation a couple years ago," D'Assandro said. He said the money for such legal services has come out of the House's general budget. But the $77,000 was an investment to shore up the state's position in case of a lawsuit down the road, he said. "Obviously we're spending less up front to save the taxpayers from a liability down the road," D'Assandro said. Emily Lawler is a Capitol reporter for MLive. You can reach her at elawler@mlive.com, subscribe to her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler. 151031_tesla_240 Tesla is at the forefront of the electric car industry, however, Michigan automakers are quickly jumping on board on the electronic movement with partnerships with Silicon Valley businesses. (Neil Blake/MLive.com file) LOS ANGELES -- You can go to the mall on a Sunday afternoon to buy a pair of shoes in Southern California and come home with a Tesla Model S electric car. That is, if you can afford the $76,200 selling price. Tesla sells directly to consumers in California and about 20 other states. Michigan isn't one of them. Our state requires new cars and trucks be sold through franchised dealers, a system Tesla is fighting to upend. But the long-held dealer franchise system isn't the only part of the auto industry California companies are seeking to disrupt. California is competing, and in some cases, partnering with Michigan companies to transform the automobile from a mechanical to an electronic marvel. Ford Motor Co. and other automakers and suppliers have established research operations in Northern California's Silicon Valley to develop various automotive software technologies. Dragos Maciuca, the director of Ford's new California operation, recently told the Los Angeles Times that Ford is there because of a profound shift away from mechanical engineering -- Detroit's forte -- in the auto industry. "Now, there is the shift to software -- and the mecca of software is Silicon Valley," said Maciuca, a former Apple engineer. Ford and Google, which has been testing self-driving cars for years, are rumored to be in talks to jointly build an autonomous vehicle. This isn't the first time Detroit has come to California seeking new knowledge about the auto industry. California, the largest auto market in the country, long has been a social and style trendsetter. The hot-rod culture that developed here after World War II, for example, influenced cars from Detroit for decades. In the 1980s, General Motors jointly operated an assembly plant with Toyota in Fremont, California, that GM used to learn about Toyota's manufacturing techniques. The plant, known as NUMMI, closed in 2010. Tesla now owns it. California's auto industry is not a threat to Michigan's in terms of size. Michigan dwarfs California in auto employment, manufacturing plants and engineering centers. California companies often rely on Michigan businesses when they get ready to build products. Roush Industries in Livonia is building Google's test fleet of self-driving cars. Last year, Tesla purchased Riviera Tool in Grand Rapids for its metal-bending expertise. But Michigan's auto supremacy isn't assured just because state automakers have been designing, engineering and building cars for more than 100 years. Crain's Detroit Business recently asked retired Visteon CEO Tim Leuliette what advice he would give new executives in the auto industry. "Face reality," he said. "Don't work for a company that makes mechanical parts in an electronic world." That should send shivers down the spines of those working to ensure Michigan's automotive future. 2016 is shaping up to be an interesting year in Ann Arbor-area education news. From new state laws to lawsuits, Washtenaw County's districts and schools are grappling with both changes and old problems. Here's a look at six things to watch in 2016: 1. Gun lawsuit against Ann Arbor Public Schools Ann Arbor Public Schools has been involved in a gun lawsuit for months after the Board of Education created policies to ban guns from schools in March. In response, Michigan Gun Owners filed suit against the district. Although a Washtenaw County judge dismissed the lawsuit in September, Michigan Gun Owners filed an appeal in October. The case remains in the Michigan Court of Appeals. See full coverage of the lawsuit here: 2. Changes to the Michigan teacher evaluation system In late October, the Michigan Legislature created new mandates for teacher evaluations, which includes a decrease in the percentage of student growth in the overall evaluation. Districts are in the process of implementing the changes; although it hasn't been a smooth transition everywhere. Teachers in Ann Arbor Public Schools were upset with some of the local changes, saying they don't fully understand the new version of the tool, which also will create more work for teachers. The district made some changes to the tool, and will create teams of teachers to work on the system in early 2016. 3. The Washtenaw Intermediate School District special education millage The Washtenaw Intermediate School District is looking at a special education ballot proposal in May that would ask voters for a 1.5-mill tax increase, providing $22 million annually for special education in the county. The millage would be a big deal for all nine Washtenaw County public school districts because it would free up money in the districts' general fund budgets to use for general education. The ballot proposal would renew the existing 3.8-mill levy and increase it to a total of up to 5.5 mills through 2025. The spring election is Tuesday, May 3. 4. Lincoln Consolidated Schools' budget Lincoln Consolidated Schools' officials found a way to get the district out of a $1.6 million deficit in its projected 2015-2016 budget. The district had been dealing with a deficit for a few years, landing it under the eye of the Michigan Department of Treasury. It'll be nearly a year before the district can get rid of its state-approved deficit-elimination plan because the final 2015-2016 budget must go through an audit. Following that, it'll remain under Michigan Department of Treasury oversight until the fund balance is above 5 percent. The district will need to stabilize it's spending, revenues and student enrollment to ensure it remains in the black in the years to come. 5. Substitute teacher fill rates Ann Arbor and Dexter school districts raised substitute teacher pay in an effort to attract enough subs to fill in when teachers are off or sick. Finding enough substitute teachers has been a struggle for districts across Michigan. Pay for subs hadn't risen in about a decade in Washtenaw County. In four months after Ann Arbor schools raised pay to $100 per day from $75 per day, the district's sub fill rates climbed from 78 percent to 98 percent. Dexter Community Schools followed suit, raising pay to $90 per day. As all Washtenaw ISD districts use the same company to find substitutes, it remains to be seen how the disparity in pay across the county affects where substitutes seek jobs. 6. Superintendent searches in Lincoln, Chelsea schools Both Chelsea and Lincoln school districts are searching for new chiefs. Sean McNatt is leading Lincoln schools through the school year after Superintendent Ellen Bonter left the district suddenly in September. The Board of Education is waiting until spring to conduct a search when more candidates are available and seeking new positions. In Chelsea School District, the school board is in the early stages of conducting a search and plans to have a new district leader in place by July 1. Meanwhile, David K. Killips is serving as interim superintendent after Andy Ingall left in June to take a job in Grand Haven. Lindsay Knake is the K-12 education reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Follow her on twitter or contact her at 989-372-2498 or lknake@mlive.com. Find all Washtenaw County K-12 education stories on MLive.com. Registrierung Sie haben noch kein Benutzerkonto auf unserer Seite? Registrieren Sie sich kostenlos und nehmen Sie an unserer Community teil! 04.01.2016 LISTEN Yvonne Nelson on New Year's Day became the first Ghanaian actress and entertainer to record one million followers on popular social media platform Instagram. 1 million, thank you, thank you! I appreciate you guys, it's humbling, she told her followers on the platform. The trendy actress is one of the most influential female celebrities in Africa and on social media. She performed creditably on Instagram in 2015 and was the first to be verified on that social media. Yvonne Nelson also took over CNN Instagram for a while. She usually posts nice pictures on the platform and speaks for the voiceless in society. Through Instagram and other social platforms, Yvonne and her friends launched a campaign under the hash tag DumsorMustStop to draw government's attention to the negative effects of Ghana's energy crisis on the citizens. By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee50 Email: [email protected] ) 04.01.2016 LISTEN HIGHLIFE LEGEND, Charles Kwadwo Fosu aka Daddy Lumba, without doubt, produced one of his best live-stage performances in his entire music career on New Year's Day, in Kumasi. The award-winning highlife music maestro proved to Ghanaians that he is still fresh and can deliver when called upon to perform at any event. The music icon put up a mind-blowing stage performance at the Miklin Hotel in Kumasi for hours which incensed the huge audience to sing and dance all night long. Dubbed 'New Year Bash with Daddy Lumba,' the show, which was hugely successful, was organized by Apotiti Consult, owned by ace broadcast journalist, Kwame Adinkra. The merrymaking event was graced by top personalities, including DCOP Kofi Boakye, Kwame Sefa Kayi, Boris B and media gurus like Omanhene Yaw Adu Boakye, Loving Cee, among others. The event was kick-started with musicians such as Kofi Nti, Nerox and Shatta Rako, just to mention a few, in turns, putting up brilliant shows to entertain the colossal crowd. The entire foundation of the venue was nearly turned upside down when Daddy Lumba, who was splendidly dressed in all-white apparel, mounted the stage in the company of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantama, Kwabena Kokofu. The music star, whose demeanour clearly showed that he was in good spirit, sang some of his melodious hit tracks, including the famous 'Yentie Obiaa', drawing the crowd to the dancing floor. At the show, every music lover was simply in tune with Lumba's household songs. He mesmerized music fans with his mid-tempo songs and dance moves, proving that indeed he is a force to reckon with in the music industry, as they demanded more of Daddy's splendid shows. Lumba indeed was a blast. His stage performance was all that was needed to make a statement about the event. At the tail end of the show, he thanked Ghanaians for their support and gave the assurance that he was going to release 20 more albums before he draws the curtain on his music career. FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi 04.01.2016 LISTEN Ghana's most popular television current affairs news talk show "Asem Yi Di Ka" which airs on ATV from Monday-Friday at 3PM-5PM is currently touring the Brong Ahafo and some other regions of Ghana. The tour is to tackle and interact with viewers on some of the challenges people go through outside the capital. One major problem that took the crew to Teshieman in the Brong Ahafo region is the issue involving the Bank of Ghana and DKM Microfinance. The show on Monday was telecast live from the Techiman community center with frustrated customers of financial companies with frozen accounts flooding in to share their grievance with the host Speaker Nana Fianko and some leaders of this country including MP for Nkronza North Major Derek Oduro, Hon. Adjei Mensah- MP for Techiman South, Yiadom Boakye-NPP Parliamentary candidate for Techiman South, Nana Afena Nketia Twafohene of Techiman and Nana Afiriyie the Tuobodom Sanaahemaa to assist them get their monies released to them. The Bank of Ghana froze the accounts of some microfinance companies including DKM and God is Love in May this year. They were accused of violating the Banking Act. The Bank of Ghana said the companies failed to comply with the terms and conditions stipulated in its licence, as well as holding insufficient assets to meet its liabilities to depositors. Customers are the worst affected by the Bank of Ghanas action with recent reports having about three people who had accounts with the financial institutions dead due to their inability to access their money, the MP for Nkronza North Major Derek Oduro has confirmed. Most affected customers from Techiman have vowed not to take part in the general election this year if their monies are not released to them. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. The blog for editorial consideration of topics from "a" to "z" to stimulate your further investigation and to draw your comments. South Africa batsman and captain Hashim Amla plays a shot during the third day of the second Test against England at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on January 4, 2016. By Gianluigi Guercia (AFP) 04.01.2016 LISTEN Cape Town (AFP) - Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers batted throughout the third morning on Monday as South Africa sought to fight back after a battering on the first two days of the second Test against England at Newlands. South Africa were 199 for two at lunch, with South African captain Amla on 91 not out and vice-captain De Villiers on 56 not out. South Africa were still 430 runs behind England's first innings total of 629 for six declared. By contrast to the second day, when Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow thrashed 196 runs for England before lunch, Amla and De Villiers added only 58 runs in 29 overs before the interval. England's bowlers toiled on an unresponsive pitch but the tourists put down the only chance of the morning, half an hour before lunch. Amla, on 76, drove at the first ball of the day sent down by off-spinner Joe Root and edged the ball to slip where James Anderson put down the catch. The same two players were involved in the only other chance of the partnership, with Root, at second slip, dropping De Villiers on five off Anderson on Sunday evening. It was largely cautious batting. It took the normally free-flowing De Villiers 116 balls to post his half-century with a straight hit for four off Moeen Ali. The same stroke brought up his 8000th run in Tests. De Villiers is playing in his 104th Test. The pair registered a 100-run partnership off 247 balls. Central African presidential candidate Karim Meckassoua, pictured on December 28, 2015, is among 20 candidates calling for the election to be scrapped. By Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File) 04.01.2016 LISTEN Bangui (Central African Republic) (AFP) - Twenty out of the 30 candidates vying to be president of the Central African Republic have demanded the election be scrapped after what they said was a tainted first round of voting. In a joint statement seen by AFP on Monday, the dissenters cited what they described as irregularities and intimidation in ballotting on December 30, partial results of which have been published. They said refused to be "complicit in this electoral masquerade" and called for the whole process to be "purely and simply stopped." They invited all players to get around the negotiating table "to draw up ways of safeguarding the nation." Signatories included heavyweight candidate Karim Meckassoua, a former foreign minister from the minority Muslim community, who had been a pre-election front-runner. Independent candidate Faustin Archange Touadera, a former prime minister, has taken a commanding lead in the presidential race, garnering more than 23 percent of the vote with a quarter of the ballots counted, electoral officials said Sunday. The former maths professor had been considered an outsider. Anicet Georges Dologuele, also a former prime minister, was in second place with Desire Kolingba, son of a former president, in third. A likely second round is set for January 31. The election is seen as vital to restoring stability in the former French colony after years of unrest. Some two million voters were eligible to cast their ballots, for a new president and members of the 105-seat parliament. Voting passed without major incident and was hailed as a success by the international community. One of the world's poorest countries, with a history of coups and rebellions, Central African Republic was plunged into fierce sectarian unrest in 2013 after longtime leader Francois Bozize was ousted by a mainly Muslim rebel alliance. Thousands of people were killed and around one in 10 fled their homes in attacks by rogue rebels on remote villages and brutal reprisals by Christian militia against Muslim communities. UN and French peacekeepers helped restore a degree of calm in January 2014, when a transitional government took over, but large parts of the country remain lawless. Khartoum (AFP) - Sudanese rebels have attacked an army garrison in South Kordofan state, a military spokesman said Monday, with both sides giving conflicting versions of the fighting. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North launched the attack at Mazlagan, west of the town of Dilling, after President Omar al-Bashir announced a month-long extension to a ceasefire in the country's conflict-hit border regions. The SPLM-N "attack on the Mazlagan garrison took place on Saturday and they were repulsed and driven off," military spokesman Colonel Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami told AFP. More than 13 of the SPLM-N forces were killed and an unknown number wounded while the army suffered no casualties, Shami said. The rebels gave a different account and said they attacked the garrison on Friday. SPLM-N forces "killed 30 members of the forces" of the government and destroyed five four-wheel-drive vehicles and burned the garrison building before withdrawing, spokesman Arnu Lodi said in a statement late Sunday. Four rebels were killed in the clashes, Lodi said. The SPLM-N also accused government warplanes of carrying out a bombing raid on Blue Nile state on Friday that damaged agricultural land and killed livestock. Shami denied the claim. The SPLM-N has been battling Bashir's troops in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state since 2011 when they mounted an insurgency, complaining their areas were being marginalised politically and economically. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court over war crimes charges during the campaign he unleashed to crush a separate insurgency in the western Darfur region in 2003. The latest attack in South Kordofan came amid a period of relative quiet in the war-hit areas. In September, Bashir announced a two-month ceasefire and extended this by one month in a speech on new year's eve. Talks between the government and rebels to agree a temporary ceasefire collapsed without result in November and the SPLM-N has reported clashes since. Shami said the military was "committed" to the ceasefire, but "will not hesitate to defend itself in case of attack". 03.01.2016 LISTEN As energies and lights of 2015 got sapped and faded out all too fast to give way to 2016, I and many others were apparently having mixed feelings about the future of Ghana. The curious feeling that would have especially engulfed the thoughts of many others was that of the ugly danger associated with the contours of Ghana's political landscape fully occupied by agitation, tension, desperation and disjointedness. Regardless of failures, successes, huge potentials and bright prospects of Ghana, these contours must present a scaring nightmare to all those who have Ghana at heart. It is, nonetheless, a call to more proactive and transformative actions by Ghana's leaders. The centre could hardly hold in NPP The unsettling nature of power blocks in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) where the centre could hardly hold did vitiate their strength to give viable alternative policies and programmes to Ghanaians. It also weakened NPP's ability to effectively put the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its government in check. NPP's Leader and 2016 Flag-bearer, Hon Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo was apparently seen to have been thrown into a mesh woven by flesh eating worms with debilitating prowess far too powerful beyond the containment and survival stamina of an otherwise political colossus and prominent lawyer. He almost surprisingly became a political dinosaur largely due to Overarching Clashes of Personality Interests (OCPI) and Acute Leadership Deficiency Syndrome (ALDS). Nana Addo simply was overtaken by emotive tendencies as he watched on while NPP appeared disintegrated and non-viable alternative in the eyes of many Ghanaians. Instead of rallying all interest groups in NPP behind him, Nana's unrelenting quest for power may have swayed him into thinking that labeling interest groups as 'spies and crushing them' would pave way for him regardless of how much significant such interest groups were. This sense of reasoning may have been a direct consequence of misleading advice and anti-Nana tagging. Holding the center in NDC but its government dangled On the other hand, whereas NDC party appeared well settled at the centre, there was enough simmering dissatisfaction at the grassroots to suggest that all was not too well with the party. As if that was not to be enough, NDC's government led by H.E President John Dramani Mahama appeared to have stepped on the toes of many residents by the way and manner the economy and energy situation of the country was bizarrely handled by a number of the President's appointees and functionaries. The raging grapevine suspicions attributable to this less than expected performance of some of these government functionaries were that while some of them were thought to have been intentionally sabotaging President Mahama's better outlook, others were said to have been busily grabbing the largesse of the Masses as they engaged in murky deals to their selfish gains and to the exclusion and detriment of the interests of President Mahama's government and the people of Ghana. As President Mahama struggled to effectively put his feet down and go beyond the powerful machinations of general poor attitudes of Ghanaians, inefficiencies of State Institutions, political patronage and godfather/godmother syndrome, it was just about the effectiveness and efficiency of his leadership and government which altogether was to be called to question. Many people kept wondering why an otherwise excellent leader could have allowed himself and his government to be drawn into public dungeon of outrage by few non-performing and clueless elements in very strategic ministries, departments and agencies. Successes of Political Actors In the end, before 31st December could help complete the year 2015, Ghana was saddled with competition between joint forces of mediocrity and disillusionment and apathy and frustration which succeeded in making 2015 a 'difficult year' for many businesses and households. However, many good things happened. For example, after all the internal wrangling in NPP and suspension of their general secretary, chairman and second vice chairman including some constituency chairmen and executives, the party eventually succeeded in rallying forces together and organized a national conference at Sunyani where Parliamentary candidates and the national campaign team of NPP were inaugurated. Party Officials and some MPs thereof were also in the media, at least defending the courses of action taken by the party and chastising almost everything about government albeit without alternative propositions. President John Dramani Mahama also showed remarkable performance in infrastructural development in essential sectors like health, education and transportation across the country. He also found nerves and disciplined some erring and less performing functionaries of his government. Some of his ministers, of course, performed very creditably and appeared to have put a shine on the overall performance of the government. Many Ghanaians are carefully watching the space to see how the energy and spirit of greater sense of urgency will be pumped into all government functionaries so as to make many more people feel that there will be brighter light at the end of the tunnel. NDC Party, which President Mahama also leads, especially demonstrably performed well by the way it successfully held the first polling station based elections of MPs and Presidential Candidate where all registered members were eligible to vote. Moreover, it was amazing to see how the party managed to hold different interest groups together after the polls which, of course, suffered some technical challenges. Demanding a new paradigm in the New Year However, having crossed over to 2016, indeed in the first few days of the New Year, most if not all of residents of Ghana are looking up to seeing a different political landscape that promises a trouble-free 2016 general elections. Although it will be irresponsible to accredit the self-seeking sensations of doomsayers and war mongers with platinum of relevance and loudspeakers, it will be in the best interest of all and sundry to wake up to face the following reality dispositions head-on. The kind of performance put up by the NDC government, in 2015, must not be allowed to repeat itself in 2016. We need better performance than that and deserve to be governed more responsibly and proactively, without fail. The urge to galvanize all spirited forces to undertake public business not as usual but with both highest sense of integrity and greatest sense of urgency should not only be inspired by positive desire to win 2016 general elections. It should most importantly be motivated by the passion to leave a lasting positive legacy where every resident of Ghana including opponents will be proud of. What President Mahama therefore needs to do differently this new year, is to first focus attention on putting more sanity and discipline into his government where his political appointees and public servants will regard him not just as humble and friendly but a man who is very firm, no-nonsense and intolerant for mediocrity, scapegoating /useless excuses, inefficiencies and ineffectiveness in running public business. While also focusing on ensuring that his campaign promises are fulfilled through extra hard work, he should pay very keen attention to ensuring that political actors are treated fairly by State Agencies including Electoral Commission and security services. Also, we do not need the kind of irresponsible opposition performance, in 2015. We need and deserve a far better opposition organization and activism. NPP should concentrate in sanitizing and reconciling its ranks and come out with credible alternatives and constructive criticisms. They must not be given a hearing on the way they always tried to blame all their woes on NDC and its government. Nana Addo must know how more discerning Ghanaians have become. For him to see any light of the day he must present to Ghanaians united, credible, quality and peaceful party, else he should forget about the presidency. He should not be deceived into thinking that doom saying or war mongering will make many Ghanaians or even the NDC government take him and his NPP party seriously. Nana Addo is a respectful elder and must leverage this to preach to his followers and the larger Ghanaian public that he is more interested in peace and development of this country than being President. That way and together with credible alternative programmes and united party, Ghanaians could choose Nana Addo over President Mahama. This in the light of the fact President Mahama together with his NDC party is realistically ahead, right now due to their more peaceful and united nature. It is also at the same time that President Mahama has incumbency advantage with huge infrastructural projects to show. He is also seen to be more affable with greater appeal to many people. This presents a tough competition which requires Nana Addo to work extra harder in order to make himself and NPP fraternity more able to favorably compete with President Mahama. Final remarks At the end of the day, 2016 must be a year of competitive performance for the overall benefit of everyone in Ghana. Above all, everything possible must be done to ensure that there is peace and unity before, during and after the 2016 general elections regardless which political party emerges the overall winner in Parliamentary and Presidential Electoral Counts. I submit therefore that while it's very important that political actors must lift up their game to a more exciting level, they must do this with highest sense of responsibility. They must note that everyone will be the ultimate beneficiary when peace, stability, unity and development continue to reign after a winner fairly, transparently and creditably emerges. Happy and Prosperous 2016! By Adam Abukari (International Legal Specialist) [email protected] 04.01.2016 LISTEN The Rev. Canon Mpho Tutu, the daughter of former South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, tied the knot this week with Professor Marceline van Furth in the Netherlands. According to Netherlands broadcaster Jeanette Chabalala of News24 , the couple reportedly married in a private ceremony held in Oegstgeest in the Netherlands. The couple is set to celebrate their wedding in Cape Town in May. Tutu is currently the executive director of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, while Furth is a professor in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Vrije University in Amsterdam, and holds the Desmond Tutu Chair in Medicine at the university. It is the second marriage for both. Canon Tutu, the youngest daughter of Desmond and Leah Tutu, was married to Joseph Burris. They had two daughters, Nyaniso and Onalenna. She and her then husband lived in Virginia. She is an ordained Episcopal priest and also the executive director and founder of the Tutu Institute for Prayer and Pilgrimage, Chairperson Emeritus of the board of the Global AIDS Alliance, Chairperson of the Board of Advisors of the 911 Unity Walk, and a Trustee of Angola University. In 2010, she wrote a book about human goodness together with her father. The book is called Made for Goodness: And Why This Makes All the Difference . It discusses the scientific basis for the belief that all humans are good by nature. Her lesbian marriage stands in stark contrast to her parents, who recently renewed their wedding vows on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary. Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu fondly dubbed the Arch and his wife Leah celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows at St. Georges Cathedral in Cape Town. Canon Mpho Tutu presided over the part of the ceremony where the couple renewed their vows. Do you take Desmond as your lawfully wedded husband, for better or for worse? she asked her mother, as she stifled her laughter. For better and for better! joked Leah as the couple broke out in giggles. Tutus successor as Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, was in attendance alongside Rev. Canon Professor Barney Pityana and the cathedrals Rev. Michael Weeder. In 1978, Tutu was appointed general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, where he became vocal about unjust racial laws. In 1985, he was appointed the Bishop of Johannesburg, and in 1986, he was chosen Archbishop of Cape Town, the head of the Anglican Church in South Africa hence his affectionate nickname, The Arch. He was the first black person to hold the position, the highest in the South African Anglican Church. In 1987, he was also named the president of the All Africa Conference of Churches, a position he held until 1997. Tutu used his position to call for equality and was a vociferous campaigner for human rights. In 1996, Nelson Mandela appointed him chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the body set up to investigate human rights violations during the apartheid. -virtueonline 04.01.2016 LISTEN The last election showed that Ghanaian voters are beginning to value their votes more than handouts. The power of handouts is weakening in the Ghanaian electoral landscape as a result of the secret ballot. Politicians are unlikely to find out how a voter voted. Interestingly, Ghanaians voters are becoming sophisticated over time as most will likely accept money from election candidates but still vote for a candidate of their choice. Its an uncontestable fact that votes win elections but not what people perceived to be otherwise Therefore, political parties must care about their ground game, their campaign messages and do less worry about the Electoral Commissioner. Politicians and political observers must determine the characteristics of their voters in the hope that once they are identified, messages could be crafted to push or pull their decisions one way or the other. For political parties contesting in an election, it should be about getting out the vote. To this end, the most important thing is making sure they have ground infrastructure in place, so they can knock on peoples doors and talk to people face to face. Campaign strategists suggest that persuading a non-voter to vote is more of a psychological and social exercise than a purely rational appeal to ones ideology or preference on any given issue. That is to suggest that the decision to vote is most strongly affected when voters are placed in a social milieu that urges their participation. So in short, personal invitations work, as do visits to a voters home and phone calls. If political parties focus on their campaign strategies, the best party will come out swinging in this election. Otherwise, there is no need berating the electoral commissioner. She has a job to perform and she knows too well the consequences of her actions and inactions regarding the performance of this job. She is not that stupid nor is she unaware of the burden that she carries in this election. Most importantly, the last election cycle will serve a point of reference for moving forward and moving past all the shortcomings of the last elections. We should all be optimistic about a positive outcome of this election. Why do we have polling agents at polling stations? As a matter of fact, our elections are won from the polling centers. Votes cast are counted at these centers with agents and observers on standby to observe. Results are then certified by party representatives and transmitted to Electoral Commission (EC). EC then collates the results from these polling stations. Party representatives have the transcripts and manifest of results to compare with the voters register nationally. My guess is that we do have party representatives at the ECs strong room to cross check the submitted results from polling stations across the nation. So how will an electoral commissioner win an election if not the votes? Let cool heads prevail. Let political parties engage more their polling agents at polling stations. Let political parties representatives at the strong room where the results are collated be engaged and be more vigilant. Added to this, we surely have local and international observers to assuage our fears about electoral malpractices. In all of this, our hypothesis about election 2016 might turn out to be a null hypothesis, if our suppositions that this election will have negative consequences as a result of manipulation end up having positive consequences with no manipulation at all. Cletus D Kuunifaa TMC Group Can be contacted at [email protected] or follow him on twitter @ckuunifaa Press Statement John Kirby Spokesperson,Bureau of Public Affairs Washington, DC January 2, 2016 Array The United States is deeply disappointed that President Paul Kagame has announced his intention to run for a third term in office. With this decision, President Kagame ignores an historic opportunity to reinforce and solidify the democratic institutions the Rwandan people have for more than twenty years labored so hard to establish. The United States believes constitutional transitions of power are essential for strong democracies and that efforts by incumbents to change rules to stay in power weaken democratic institutions. We are particularly concerned by changes that favor one individual over the principle of democratic transitions. As Rwanda moves toward local elections this year, presidential elections next year, and parliamentary elections in 2018, we call upon the Government of Rwanda to ensure and respect the rights of its citizens to exercise their freedom of expression, conscience, and peaceful assembly -- the hallmarks of true democracies. The United States remains committed to supporting the free and full participation of the Rwandan people in the electoral processes ahead. 04.01.2016 LISTEN President John Dramani Mahama is scheduled to open the one-day annual Ghana Economic Outlook and Business Strategy Conference (EOBS 2016) at the Tang Hotel in Accra on 20th January, 2016 which will be attended by top Ghanaian and foreign industrialists, business-persons and investors from all parts of the world. Themed "Industrialisation: The Impetus for Ghana's Economic Growth," EOBS 2016 involves a keynote address, individual presentations, panel discussions and networking opportunities which will focus on the multi-faceted aspects of industrialisation. President Mahama will deliver the keynote address while personalities like Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Dr Micheal Agyekum Addo, CEO of the Kama Group, and Mrs Valentina Mintah, CEO of West Blue will make presentations and moderate the panels. Leading government officials, captains of industry, policy- and decision-makers, experts, civil society organisations, politicians, foreign businesses and investors, development partners and the diplomatic community, among others, will attend EOBS 2016 and discuss issues emanating from the main theme. EOBS 2016 is conceptualised to create the platform for the public and private sectors, industries, foreign investors, academia and other stakeholders to meet and deliberate on the ideas, issues and practices that will help Ghana to industrialise and become a fully-fledged middle income country. The EOBS series started four years ago and we have managed to sustain it yearly in January when most business people and investors have returned to work from the long festive break, says Mr Kwadwo Asumaning, Chairman of African Business Media (ABM) Ltd., organisers of the conference and publishers of the award-winning Ghana Business & Financemagazine. The EOBS series provides business and networking opportunities for local participants and foreign delegates who are seeking to take advantage of the countrys vast potentials. The previous conferences have benefited the government, business community, academia and business students who obtained invaluable practical information. EOBS has also created a platform for the government to gather feedback from participants on the implementation of some recommended policies in the sectors discussed. ABM will continue the yearly event for the benefit of Mother Ghana and we hope our sponsors and partners will continue to support us to grow from strength to strength, Mr Asumaning added. EOBS 2016 aims to create a conducive forum where key government officials, policy- and decision- makers, the private sector, experts and other stakeholders will address Ghanas delay in implementing the initiatives in the 2011 Industrial Policy; discuss in a frank manner the role of the stakeholders in achieving the main goals outlined in the Industrial Policy; identify and agree on ways and means of increasing the countrys energy supply to boost industrial development and expansion; and create an avenue where local manufacturers can interact with foreign business owners and investors in a bid to explore and exploit opportunities for investments, partnerships and business in general, among others. EOBS 2016 is targeted at the government, public export promotion agencies, industrialists, manufacturers, local investors, exporters, development partners, the commercial departments of embassies and High Commissions, banks, non-banking financial institutions and civil society organisations. The partners of EOBS 2016 include the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF), Ghana Free Zones Board, Association of Ghanaian Industries (AGI), Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Embassy of China, the European Union Delegation to Ghana, German-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Association of Ghanaian Bankers. Issued in Accra by Africa Business Media 04.01.2016 LISTEN Corruption by public officials was one of the highlights of former President Jerry Rawlings' speech during the 34th anniversary of the 31st December 'Revolution' and wreath-laying ceremony at the Revolutionary Square in Accra last Thursday. He gave a strong warning that Ghanaians should not be taken for granted. Corrupt public officials who persist in the practice of corruption, would face the wrath of the people, he said as about 200 cadres and other people, including Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo and Sherry Ayittey, Ministers of Greater Accra Region and Fisheries respectively; George Lawson, a Deputy National Democratic Congress (NDC) General Secretary; Samuel Nuamah Donkor, Chief Executive of distressed STC now embroiled in financial controversy and a section of traditional rulers, listened to him. Former President Rawlings, whose close to 20 minutes' presentation showed traces of ambiguity said, The colour of this democracy is very different from the democracy we knew from the period of 1982 1992 and also very different from the constitutional period 1992 2000. He said the colour of those 'revolutions' (1982-1992 and 1992-2000) had the strong element of justice, truthfulness, freedom and the spirit of defiance to contain wrongdoing. He questioned what happened especially from the year 2000 that had given rise to corruption, greed and selfishness, leading to suffering and pain in this country. Mr Rawlings blamed it on what he referred to as the governments after him lacking the will, ability and capacity to fight corruption. He said the time had come for us to start looking at those who profited from the change of the colour starting from 2000. He said the significance of the 31st 'revolution' should never be lost and that it should serve as a constant reminder of what led to the revolt of June 4, 1979 and the 31st December 1981 'revolution.' While calling for the re-ignition of the spirit of the revolution to restore decency, Jerry Rawlings stressed that the fact that Ghanaians are by nature peace-loving people should not be taken for granted. He warned, Beyond this point of disrespect for the rights of the masses could lead to chaos. Ghanaians deserve more than the regime of deceits and flattery. The National Democratic Congress Chairman for Keta, Dr. Kofi Dzokoto, described the 'revolution' as a show of patriotism that revived the nation to insist on justice, probity and accountability. He reiterated that until the governments of this country projected probity, accountability and social justice, their efforts at creating a better Ghana would always come to nothing. The 31st December 'revolution' was staged by a group of security personnel who overthrew Dr. Hilla Liman's government in the Third Republic and made President Rawlings a military ruler. He later formed the National Democratic Congress and became a civilian president after a general election in 1992. The celebration was banned by a court of law, but the former president maintains that the event cannot be swept under the carpet and so continues to commemorate it including the June 4 uprising. By Solomon Ofori 04.01.2016 LISTEN Former National Chairperson of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Samia Yaba Nkrumah, has filed her nomination to contest for the party's flagbearership slot ahead of the 2016 general election. The party opened nominations in December 2015, for its presidential and parliamentary primaries scheduled for January 30, this year. Speaking to Citi Fm after filing her nomination forms, Samia Nkrumah reiterated the party's commitment to halting the dominance of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in governance of the country, saying the two political parties had failed the country woefully. According to her, the CPP is ready for the polls slated for November this year, adding that the party coming to power is Ghana's best chance of getting out of the current economic quagmire. It's a good sign for us that we are ready and now I can devote the next two weeks to touching base with our constituencies ahead of our congress to elect our 2016 flagbearer. The CPP is ready and we are looking forward to a very vigorous and active campaign where I'm confident that we're going to convince the people of Ghana that it's time for a revolution at the ballots, Ms Samia Nkrumah stated. The 'two-party system' has failed and I believe we offer the best alternative for a new way of managing our economy. We are the only party that is clearly saying that the conditions of the IMF are unsustainable, she added. The presidential aspirants of the CPP are required to pay GH155,000 an amount which had received a lot of criticisms. However, the National Youth Organiser of the party, Ernesto Yeboah, said the fee would build up the CPP and facilitate the party's activities ahead of the 2016 elections. He said, Members have agreed that this is the only way by which we could build our party. Presidential aspirants will pay GH5,000 when they come to pick up forms. After that, they will be required to pay a filing fee of GH150,000 and an extra GH50,000 as development levy. 04.01.2016 LISTEN The daughter of the Gushegu District Chief Executive (DCE), one Fuseina Alhassan, 8 years old, met her untimely death through a fire outbreak at Chuggu Yapalisi, the residence of the DCE in the Sagnarigu district of the Northern Region. According to the DCE, Alhaji Alhassan Fuseini, who narrated the incident to DAILY GUIDE, the fire started around 11pm. He added that he saw smoke coming out of one of the rooms of his daughters' who were asleep and therefore quickly rushed towards the place. He said he shouted for help which woke the children up and three of them managed to come out of their rooms, leaving Fuseina. The Fire Service personnel who rushed to the scene could not save the life of the little girl as she had been burnt totally but managed to bring the fire under control, which had already destroyed virtually everything in the house. The fire fighters could not immediately determine the cause of the incident, but said they would inform the media when they complete their investigations. The body of the girl has since been sent to the Tamale Teaching Hospital and preparations were underway for its burial in accordance with Islamic tradition. FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale 04.01.2016 LISTEN Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings is facing an uphill task in her bid to represent the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament for the Klottey Korle constituency in the face of petitions against her election aside the suit against her. The latest is a petition sent to no other person than her father former President Jerry John Rawlings-founder of the NDC, asking him to advise his daughter to step down. They claim she does not qualify to hold the position. The petitioners, numbering 189 and all members of the NDC in the Klottey Korle constituency, said The rank and file of the party feel aggrieved to learn that Zanetor could not vote in the very elections she contested because she is not a registered voter on the Electoral Commission's national voter register the very register on which compilation of the NDC biometric register was based. They quoted portions of the 'Guidelines for the Elections of NDC Parliamentary Candidates for the 2016 Parliamentary Elections,' which require persons seeking to contest primaries to meet the requirements of the election of a Member of Parliament (MP) under Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution. The Article provides that a person does not qualify to contest for parliamentary office if that person is not a registered voter. If Zanetor were truly qualified to contest the elections, we would have thrown our support behind her to retain for us the Klottey Korle seat. We would have rallied behind her as we would for any qualified member of the party, but we seek to correct the injustice that is being foisted upon us so that we do not set the wrong precedent for future generations to build on the foundations we lay today, they indicated. They have petitioned the former president to speak against such an anomaly and ensure that the principles of justice, probity and accountability are not treated with contempt. We humbly pray that you ask your daughter to withdraw her candidature to preserve her dignity, your dignity, the dignity of the constituency and the dignity of the party, the statement said. Members of the group appealed to Mr. Rawlings, who they described as fair-minded, to look beyond family and personal interest to promote the integrity of the constituency, party and the nation at large since he has over the years reiterated his strong commitment to due process and accountability. We are of the conviction that you will not support schemes that seek to bend the law to favour a few privileged persons against the general interest of the NDC and the nation, the petitioners added. By Charles Takyi-Boadu 04.01.2016 LISTEN The murder in cold-blood of a Bibiani woman by another lady was one of the painful highlights of the twilight of 2015. Those who heard or read the news could not help questioning how a female could become so bloodthirsty as to undertake that kind of action. Be it as it may, Mercy Nana Yaa Nyamekye, the suspected killer of Amina Kande Moro, has been arrested after being on the run for a brief period, perhaps unable to hide indefinitely. The law enforcement agents have done their work so far. But as to whether they would be given the freedom to continue to the next level is beyond our ken. Although the deceased and the suspect belong to different political parties the former holding a top position at the constituency level of her grouping a family member has asked that the matter be treated purely as a criminal one. We cannot turn our backs on the legitimate demand of the deceased's family which is informed by empirical evidence of interference in police investigations. It is common for criminal cases to be garbed in politics and treated with inappropriate gloves and eventually confined to the shelves. Many cases have been treated like this and ended up in deliberate cul de sacs. Known political activists of a party descended upon their colleagues and killed them near a police station in the Agbogbloshie incident are yet to be apprehended and arraigned. Similar incidents have been recorded elsewhere across the country. It is for the aforementioned reason and others not captured in this commentary that we ask that criminal cases be bereft of political coloration so that law enforcement agents would not entertain fears of possible transfers, should they insist on doing the right things under the circumstances. Various public forums have addressed this subject and concluded that criminal matters be dealt with devoid of politics. Law enforcement agents have for good reason dreaded cases when these are politicized. Such coloration gives bad politicians at the helm or whose parties are in power the leverage to incessantly breathe on the shoulders of detectives handling these cases. We shall not go beyond our stunted growth as a nation when we do not allow our institutions to mature to the level where the human intervention is reduced to the barest minimum. Those who seek to ascribe the criminality under review to destiny and therefore go to the bereaved families to ask that it be treated as such should forget it. After all, it is a matter between the Republic and the suspect. Let politicians with sufficient connections on the corridor of power fear God and not do anything which could taint the quality of investigations needed in this bloody case. 04.01.2016 LISTEN GHANA POST has planned in advance to go into the financial sector with the opening of savings and loans outlets across the country in 2016. Mr. Eric Yao, Managing Director (MD), Ghana Post, explained that his outfit wants to be relevant to the public, hence entering into the financial sector. He said parts of Ghana Post's 340 outlets across the country, would be converted into the saving and loans companies alongside postal services to the people. Mr. Yao noted that Ghana Post had already started money transfer services to the public in line with the grand opening of the savings and loans project. He was speaking when he led a powerful delegation from Ghana Post to pay a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in Kumasi. Mr. Yao and his entourage used the historic occasion to brief Otumfuo about recent happenings in Ghana Post and their plans for the New Year. He stated that plans are also in the pipeline to revamp all the 340 Ghana Post outlets so that they could offer modern postal services to the people. Mr. Yao noted that his management also has plans of equipping Ghana Post outlets with 4G internet access services to enhance communications. He said Ghana Post had started real estate business in Accra, the national capital, and they want to replicate their success story in the Ashanti Region, this year. Mr. Yao appealed to Otumfuo to assist Ghana Post to expedite the documentation of their lands in the region, to enable them start the real estate project. The Asantehene, in his remarks, charged Ghana Post to properly position itself so that it could compete adequately in these modern times. He also tasked Ghana Post to publicize its innovations, notably the savings and loans business, so that the public would patronize them. Otumfuo commended the outfit for its vision of entering the real estate business, notably in the Ashanti Region, assuring it of his support. FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi 04.01.2016 LISTEN Mawuena Trebarh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), has called for investment in manpower to match investors' vision and ideas. She said investing in the requisite manpower would ensure good returns on investments in the country's economy. The CEO therefore called for a shift in mindset to provide a mix of creativity, experiential learning and skills building. Mrs Trebarh, in a speech read on her behalf at the first Education Camp Conference held in Koforidua, Eastern Region, called for the strengthening of collaboration between private and government training institutions and industry to shape the current and future skills requirements and demands of industry for all sectors of the economy. Mrs. Trebarh said innovation and entrepreneurship could help improve education, stating that education in primary and secondary levels should be aimed at developing creativity, initiative, inventiveness and personal qualities that are necessary to adapt to the changing world. She said as part of governments policy to increase supply and improve entrepreneurial management skills in all sectors of the economy, a National Entrepreneurship Seminar was organised by her outfit in March last year to ensure the building of a more entrepreneurial economy. Mrs. Trebarh said GIPC also embarked on an annual nationwide investment outreach programme aimed at meeting the local content requirements of the Centres investment promotion mandate, as well as providing a platform to identify and collate domestic data on various investment projects and opportunities. Very Reverend Abraham Osei Donkor, Headmaster of Ghana Senior High School in Koforidua, who was a participant, called on stakeholders to plan consistently to ensure that resources and infrastructure are delivered to ensure quality education. I have always declared that energy is the skeleton of the body of a country, and Ghana is no exception at all. Look! There is no gainsaying the fact that dumsor, which is practically above our heads, is the cardinal trouble of the Republic of Ghana today. Dumsor, often described as erratic power supply, has plunged the good people of Ghana into utter distress, putting our dear country on the verge of ruin. For no absurd politicking or cheap propaganda can overshadow this irrefutable assertion I just made. But I pray we find a lasting remedy for the dumsor disease and its appalling repercussions in the nick of time - not just because the election year, 2016, has been ushered in! Also, the dumsor phenomenon actually began to prevail in our backward system some four years ago. It was an election year then, that was 2012, and the budding energy crisis was curbed at the eleventh hour against a backdrop of the forthcoming general elections. Gosh, it worked like a magic spell cast on Ghanaians since the incumbent party won again! And now dumsor lingers on even in 2016, making dumsor barely four years old. However, our wayward politicians and the inefficient electricity providers have managed to toy with the Ghanaian masses in the midst of the unresolved power outages. Strangely enough, we recently saw an unwarranted hype around the arrival and commissioning of the 225 megawatts power barge from Turkey; which the government apparently touted as the potent solution to dumsor and its canker. But the citizenry probably fell into a political trance until we become sober when tariff hikes were consequentially announced, owing to the addition of the power barge to our national grid. Besides, I cannot overlook Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom's frank pronouncements: "The Minister of Power, the President and the NDC Administration must know that Ghanaians have suffered losses due to dumsor, some of which cannot and will not be erased. These are etched in the memories of industrialists, families and many, many others." Again, the energy stakeholders vehemently allude to the fact that dumsor is a resultant product of breakdown in machinery, intermittent gas supply, low water levels and minimal electricity tariffs. Surprisingly, "The Ghanaian transmission system has been criticised by the World Bank for its poor financial and operational practices," according to "Dumsor" on Wikipedia. However, we now thank God for successfully bringing us into 2016, a supposed dumsor-free year-cum-election year. So I now ask the general public: "Is dumsor now dead?" Okay, according to an official statement from the Power Ministry released on December 30, 2015 and signed by Kweku Sersah-Johnson, Head of Public Affairs: "The Ministry of Power wishes to inform the public that its Load Shedding programme in respect of electricity supply has been brought to an end." Ha-ha, I doubt it because a small survey I conducted on WhatsApp, seeking public opinions somehow proves otherwise! For ECF (Educated Cocoa Farmer), believes that, "It's on reduction." System, my senior brother, answered that, "Yes of course, because they'll do anything to gain power." Livy, an avid follower of Sir Article, noted that, "It's a continuous problem which may last longer since no proper measures are being put in place to curb the situation." Phrimpong, the sensational rapper who is credited with the politically incorrect dumsor video, stated that, "Dumsor is on electoral break." Adeaba, a student of UG, Legon, also said that, "Dumsor was on a Christmas break, which is likely to end soon." Again, Aaron, COO of Hyperactive Ghana; declared that, "Yes. To improve their propaganda and after they win, they'll drop." Austin, an NPP sympathiser, argued, saying: "A big no, because I have experienced power outage at Suame, Kumasi. Adding that, politics can't solve dumsor." Obaapa, my dearest friend, cautioned: "Ghanaians shouldn't keep their hopes so high since dumsor will possibly continue." Moreover, Nii Bavard, a creative writer; told me that, "No. Even when dumsor was declared ended, we had light off." Sheila, a student of UCC, claimed that, "No dumsor since I came home. But you can't trust politicians too." Josephine, my childhood friend in Tema, defiantly indicated that, "Dumsor will not end even in 2016, an election year." Gifty, a resident of a suburb in Accra, lamented that, "No, for my lights were off on January 1." Stevo, my personal technology advisor, uttered that, "It has ended since they want to win the hearts of Ghanaians." Furthermore, Jessica, chief editor of UCC's Valco Hall editorial board; disclosed that, "It has not ended. It'll continue and they'll give us excuses." Valentina, a cynic, stated that, "It'll further reduce but not end." Finally, Bernard, a resident of Obuasi Central; opined that, "Yes, because I haven't experienced dumsor for a month." Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com 04.01.2016 LISTEN The President's Special Advisor on governance and corruption, Daniel Batidam has stated categorically that no government can solely deal with the fight against corruption that has bedevilled the country. I want to say this very clearly, no government by itself alone can tackle corruption unless we are able to mobilise the population,' he asserted. In line with this, he called on the Judiciary, religious leaders, parliamentarians, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), media, traditional rulers to help in the fight against corruption. He observed that government was aware that the country had suffered excessively due to corruption, hence various initiatives implemented to fight corruption. I would say that we are beginning to see more steps through the use of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) especially at the level of government, I mean the executive. We are beginning to see more steps in the things that we are supposed to be doing,' he remarked. He admitted that mobilising stakeholders to fight corruption has been difficult. You and I know that overtime our people have become so cynical, let down, so disappointed by government after government, that mobilising various stakeholders of our society to tackle corruption is not an easy task. We must begin to renew the hopes of the people, renew the confidence of the people in our collective ability to tackle corruption, he added. Highlighting mechanisms put in place to fight corruption, Mr. Batidam urged Ghanaians to collectively double their efforts in tackling problems associated with corruption. One of the issues I would want us as Ghanaians to do in 2016 is to collectively double our efforts towards tackling the problems of corruption which has now become one of the major obstacles of progress of our national development agenda. I hope all of us will accept the responsibility that we have a role to play to bring down corruption to the minimum level where it does not obstruct our developmental agenda, he said. Speaking on Ultimate breakfast co-hosted by Prince Minkah and Kwame Adinkra of Atinka Fm, he charged Ghanaians to view corruption in its broader perspective. He further expressed worry about the way Ghanaians perceive corruption, observing that sometimes people base their judgement on one specific aspect or the other which does not usually help matters. I think by far as a people we have been dishonest in the way we look at corruption. And it has not helped us in dealing with the issue. If we begin to look at corruption from its broader perspective in 2016, beyond delivering certain specific sectors of society as the ones they are corrupt. We should begin to go beyond government. We must be witnesses of what we preach. One of the major things to do is for Ghanaians to do collective examination of conscience of the way we view corruption in the country,' he noted. Asked how the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government tackled corruption in 2015, he remarked that they managed to mobilize other sectors of society. I think we as government are beginning to mobilise the population, the other sectors of the society, the judiciary, religious leaders, Parliament, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), media, traditional rulers. I think this year we have done some work in reaching out to these people in solving corruption, he said. 04.01.2016 LISTEN The Family Health Nurses Assistant Training School has received approval from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) to begin Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery programmes, Prof WY Kwawukume, board chairman of the Teshie-based facility in Accra, has said. The school, affiliated to the University of Ghana, has also established a private medical school which serves as the teaching arm of the Family Health Hospital, with the intention of ensuring professional medical education and training for students. The board chairman made the disclosure at a matriculation ceremony for 230 students at the forecourt of the school. The event also coincided with the graduation ceremony for 180 nursing assistants who had completed their course of studies. Prof Kwawukume urged the graduands to adhere to medical standards and play their role in the country's healthcare delivery system in a manner that will project the good image of their alma mater. He further tasked them to be tolerant in handling patients, adding that it is the hallmark of a professional nurse. Deputy Minister of Health, Victor Asare Bampoe, commended the school for turning out a number of nursing assistants to augment services in the country's healthcare delivery system. Principal of the school, Col Monica B. Andoh (rtd), urged the students to take advantage of the learning opportunities available to them to study and excel in their chosen career. Col Andoh intimated that the school placed seventh among the 27 nursing schools which took part in the licensure examination in November 2014. She was happy that the institution, since its establishment, continues to make significant progress in its efforts to turn out professional healthcare workers. According to the principal, the school has a number of qualified staff capable of helping students to achieve sound medical objectives as laid out by the management. By Solomon Ofori Turkey, which is classified by the World Bank as a developing country, has been internationally praised for its willingness to accept millions of refugees from Syria and to accommodate their health care, education and social welfare needs. However, Syrians are required to obtain formal sponsorship in order to work, and permits are typically granted only to highly skilled refugees. As a result, more than 2 million Syrians are not legally authorized to work in Turkey, and the burden frequently falls on children. Although Adils father eventually found a job in the informal economy, kids are often the breadwinners in Syrian refugee families. According to a new study released by the Migration and Politics Research Center at Hacettepe University in Ankara, a Syrian refugee working in Turkey is more likely to be a child than an adult. Especially in seasonal or labor-intensive sectors like agriculture, construction or textile, Syrian child labor has become the norm, said Murat Erdogan, the studys author and the director of the center. [Syrian refugee children] are easier to manipulate, less demanding and most definitely cheaper than everyone else. Children learn the language more easily, and they acquire the skills required for basic jobs much faster. Adil, who now speaks fluent Turkish, is an example. When I started working here, I started with basic things like carrying items and running errands. In three years, I learned everything I could. Now I can operate all the machines and do ironing. But my salary is still the same as when I started three years ago, he said. Ali Attar, a Turkish textile worker and activist, said his young colleagues are disproportionately Syrian. In the Istanbul neighborhood of Caglayan, home to many of the citys textile workshops, more Arabic than Turkish is heard during business hours. On weekdays, its common to see young Syrians going in and out of workshops carrying bundles of clothes. Before the refugee influx, there was a labor shortage in the textile sector in Turkey. Now this gap is filled primarily by young Syrians, he said. 04.01.2016 LISTEN Sam Ayeh Datey, Coordinating Director of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has condemned the apathy by residents in Accra towards the National Sanitation exercise. The exercise, held every first Saturday of the month, was poorly attended last Saturday as most residents failed to come out for the national exercise. He described the attitude as destructive and has the tendency of killing initiative in the society. He therefore advised residents to attach importance to sanitation issues. Mr Datey told Ghana News Agency in an interview after the exercise in Accra, that the assembly had centred its focus on ensuring that open defecation along the beaches and illegal sand collection are stopped. He said, We have a problem with the collection of refuse that is why the AMA introduced the Pollution Pay System and liaised with its private waste management providers to ensure that Accra is cleaner than before. Coordinating Director said it is important for members of the public to observe clean environmental practices in their communities and avoid the erroneous perception that the AMA is solely responsible for cleaning the environment. He said with determination by the AMA and its collaborators, efforts were being put in place to step up education to create awareness among the people to refrain from indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains and to sustain the cleanup exercise. Mr Datey joined hands with sub-metropolitan assemblies such as Ayawaso East and West, to undertake the exercise at the 37 Military Hospital area, Osu Klottey, Ring Road, Okaikwei South and Kaneshie. Other areas were Ablekuma Central at Abossey Okai and Ashiedu Keteke at Agbogbloshie. GNA 04.01.2016 LISTEN The problem one has living under the government of the so-called National Democratic Congress (NDC), regardless of which individual controls the reins of governance, is the fact that the NDC has its moorings in a military dictatorship that never full and/or effectively transitioned from the capricious and whimsically feudalist culture of indiscriminately churning out edicts as a matter of policy to an enlightened modern democratic organization. In this, the National Democratic Congress strikingly shares its moorings with the rump-Convention Peoples Party (r-CPP). It has been extensively observed that by 1960, the ideological parent of the r-CPP, the Kwame Nkrumah-led Convention Peoples Party, or the proto-CPP, had boorishly resorted to the conduct of the peoples business by edict. This is pretty much the form of ideology that undergirds the decidedly loony decision by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to raise tariffs on such essential services as water and electricity, a gratuitous measure that has prompted Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey (aka Tarzan), the former Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), to logically raise Cain (see Tariff Hike: Wereko-Brobbey to Sue PURC Classfmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 11/10/15). In the main, PURC claims that the upward adjustment of utility bills has become necessary because extra income is needed to improve the quality of services offered the general public. Well, there are two problems related to this kind of argument, the first of which has been promptly and soundly shot down by the pioneering proprietor of the erstwhile Radio-Eye fame. And the preceding regards the fact that PURC has a standing rule which enables the governments utilities regulator to raise tariffs only once every three years unless, of course, there exist any emergency provisions permitting PURC to bypass this standing policy. Dr. Wereko-Brobbeys argument is that the next statutorily scheduled date for any consideration of an upward adjustment of tariffs is not due until October 2016. In sum, according to Tarzan, it would be tantamount to acting arbitrarily if PURCs latest decision to raise utility rates is allowed to proceed unchallenged. Well, what I see happening here could come in the form of the PURC commissioners appearing before Parliament to successfully argue in favor of the proposed hike which, of course, ought to be absolutely no problem at all, since the caliber of Parliament that the country presently has could be strikingly likened to the sort of legislative rubber-stamp that prevailed under the Nkrumah-led Convention Peoples Party (CPP). The PURC chair is likely to court and actually win the unstinted sympathy of a government that clearly seems to have yet to learn anything meaningful about fiscal discipline. At any rate, it is the second problem with which I am most concerned. And it has to do with the fact that PURC does not seem to have any reliable record to prove that, indeed, whenever there has been a hike in utility rates, this has automatically led to a remarkable improvement in the provision and quality of services. Unfortunately, on this count also, PURC is very likely to get away with murder, literally speaking. For ever since anybody can remember these days, qualitative service is the last item on the agenda of any public utility company in the country. Still, whatever be the outcome of the unquestionably righteous crusade launched by Dr. Wereko-Brobbey against such wanton exploitation of the average Ghanaian citizen by the rich, powerful and eerily insensitive, quite a salutary precedent would have been set which may yet bode well against any attempt by either the PURC or any other such powerful public regulatory establishment to take the longsuffering Ghanaian taxpayer for a ride. And it is, of course, the fact that the people are highly unlikely to take such brazen and flagrant socioeconomic abuse lying supine the next time around. 04.01.2016 LISTEN Monday, January 4, 2016 Folks, when Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia led a team of NPP elements to conduct exercises aimed at proving their allegation that the existing voters register was bloated and incredible, they settled on documents that they regarded as substantial. They spent money and other resources, time, and energy and thumbed their chests at the end of the exercise. The outcome was so rich and pregnant with evidence that they felt vindicated and empowered enough to tell the whole world what they found out. At a press conference, Dr. Bawumia announced that the NPPs team of investigators had done a comparative analysis of the contents of the voters register of Togo and Ghana and found out that the names of 76,000 Togolese citizens were in Ghanas register as well. These Togolese were Ewes, implying that the Ghanaian electoral roll was infested. He said many more, including the outcome of the facial biometric verification (or recognition?) method used by his team to establish that the photographs of those voters on the electoral rolls of both countries were doctored. In other words, a lot went wrong as far as the NPP was concerned. That was why the NPP was demanding that a new voters register be compiled for Ghana to weed out such undesirables. As soon as the NPPs version was announced, the rogue and book politics by its functionaries took a different turn for the worse. We heard many insulting comments from them about Ewes infiltrating the system and corrupting the Ghanaian electoral process. But the work done by Dr. Bawumia and his team left many ugly traces behind, which some of us questioned: What was the primary motivation for choosing the Ewes as the primary focus for this cross-checking of contents in Ghana and Togos voters register? How about Burkina Faso and Cote dIvoire, where similar factors existed for cross-border activities by Ghanaians living in those countries yet exercising and enjoying their birth right in Ghana as Ghanaians? How possible was it for the Togolese authorities to release their voters register to the NPP for the kind of work that it did? Could they also be willing to do same to any other political party or Ghanaian institution seeking information thereby? We monitored the situation with much reservation, especially considering the roughshod manner in which the NPP were doing their politics with these 76,000 illegal Ewe voters issue, especially when some disgruntled NDC supporters in Northern Volta Region came out to say that they had been contracted to do the registration of those Togolese citizens. As the NPPs demands heightened, the EC reacted, asking the party to furnish it with its report on the work done by Dr. Bawumia and many other issues to facilitate its own cross-checking of issues to help it determine the way forward. After much hesitation, the NPP claimed to have met the ECs request. Now, what do we hear? The EC has made it clear that the NPPs allegations couldnt be supported by evidence and that it will not delete the names of the 76,000 voters in Ghanas register just because the NPP is demanding so. The EC says the law doesnt allow that line of action. (See http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/We-can-t-remove-names-of-Togo-nationals-EC-405014). The EC has also said that the Togolese authorities refused to release their voters register to the EC when requested. We know that the EC is more credible a political authority than the NPP, especially when it comes to dealing with a sister electoral body in nearby Togo. Here is our question: If the Togolese authorities wont release their register to Ghanas EC, why would they do so to the NPP? How did the NPP have access to that register for Dr. Bawumias work but Ghanas EC couldnt, even when it officially applied to the Togolese authorities? The picture is clear now: The EC will neither compile a new voters register for Election 2016 nor delete the names of the so-called 76,000 people that the NPP has alleged are Togolese nationals illegally registered to vote in Ghana. On that score, it will be pointless for the NPP to insist on having its cake while at the same time eating it. What next for the NPP? Reason demands that campaigning for votes should be its prime objective. No litigation, street protests or condemnation of the EC will change the situation; but true to their nature, they have chosen to litigate (See http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Voters-register-LMVC-to-join-suit-against-EC-405012). One expects vigilance, not useless militancy, to help run a free, fair, and transparent Election 2016. It is interesting to learn that a room-to-room campaign approach has been adopted and is being used in the Manhyia constituency. Campaigning for the hearts and minds of the electorate should take precedence over sterile approaches involving militancy and insults. What will win electoral victory depends on convincing messages to the electorate about how the NPP will solve the very problems that its members have characterized President Mahama as incompetent in not solving. Then, and only then, will they be making hay while the sun shines. Otherwise, they will be torn into shreds again. I shall return Cotonou (AFP) - Benin businessman Sebastien Ajavon has announced his intention to run for president, in a move that will pit two of the country's most famous entrepreneurs against each other in the February polls. Ajavon, who amassed a fortune in the food industry, will run against fellow tycoon Patrice Talon, a cotton magnate, who is considered the main opponent to President Thomas Boni Yayi's ruling Cowrie Forces for an Emerging Benin (FCBE) party. French-Beninese investment banker Lionel Zinsou, the country's current prime minister, has been nominated as the FCBE candidate. "Yes I am your candidate, the candidate of all Beninese," Ajavon said to the crowd at Mathieu Kerekou stadium in Cotonou on Sunday. "I said yes to your request to be president, regardless of what sex, religion, political affiliation or region you come from." Ajavon, 50, has stuck to the political sidelines in Benin, in the past making financial contributions to different political parties. Similarly, Talon funded Yayi's ruling party in 2006 and 2011 before turning to the opposition. With Ajavon in the presidential race, it "pits the two most powerful traders" in Benin against each other, according to political analyst Francois Alladji. Yayi, who is completing his second term, has promised his name will "never appear on any ballot." 04.01.2016 LISTEN Five suspected robbers have shot and killed a middle-aged man who identified them after a raid at the Kumasi suburb of Bokankye residence of a staff of Newmont Ghana. The gun-wielding assailants fired at Kwame Boateng, also known as Korotwiamansa, when he saw and identified them by names just as they were leaving the scene of the siege at about 7: 30 p.m on January 1, 2015. Police say he died on the way whilst he was being rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Reports say the masked robbers, armed with two AK-47 assault rifles succeeded in robbing Antwi Boasiako, of one thousand Ghana cedis, two lap-top computers, six mobile phones and a flat- screen television set, at gun point. According to reports, after the operation, the robbers unmasked themselves as they left the scene. Just then, Boateng, who was then on his way to visit Mr. Antwi Boasiako came into contact with the robbers. ASP Yusssif Mohammed Tanko is the Public Relations Officer for the Ashanti Regional Police Command. Time that they [robbers] entered the house where they robbed, they were wearing mask so they might have removed the mask as soon as they stepped-out of the house to take away any suspicion of anybody who will suspect an eye on them so they removed the mask. And this deceased was able to identify some of them and even believed to have mentioned some of the names so they shot him. Boateng, who survived by four kids was later picked by a Good Samaritan but died on the way to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where the body is being kept; awaiting autopsy. Meanwhile, the Abuakwa police say they have arrested one Bismark Owusu, suspected to be a member of the gang. Weve been able to arrest one Bismark Owusu who we suspect is one of the robbers and hes currently assisting in investigations and we are trying very hard to ensure that through him we are able to link up with others and have them arrested. ASP Tanko has said. After misinforming Ghanaians that there is a constitutional provision stipulating 7th December as the election date for Ghana, the agency charged with organizing free and fair elections in Ghana has gone pseudo-constitutional again. Read the story below. The Electoral Commission (EC) is considering barring political parties without offices across the country from participation in the 2016 general elections. The Constitution stipulates that all political parties must have at least offices in two-thirds in all 216 districts in the country. The EC is set to embark on a nationwide inspection of offices of political parties and establish whether they meet that constitutional requirement. Information available to Joy News suggests the EC will use the outcome to determine qualification of parties to contest in the 2016 election. The EC is wrong with this directive. I am not sure why all of a sudden it issued this fatwa, but coming just after my 2 articles on the performance of the EC Boss in parliament, it smacks of what I call adolescent immaturity. The timing shows this is a reflex reaction. I will discuss this under 3 headings: 1. Constitutional/legislative 2. Common sense 3. Morality Constitutional/legislative Freedom of association (FoA) is guaranteed under our constitution. Every law must aim at encouraging its realization. Formation of political parties is an extension of this right. Any law which discourages freedom of association is unconstitutional. That directive of the EC will frustrate FoA. We cannot trust the ECs understanding of the constitution, can we? What is the constitutional or legislative position regarding registration of political parties? THE FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOURTH ACT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GGHANA ENTITLED THE POLITICAL PARTIES ACT, 2000 AN ACT to revise the statute on political parties to bring the provisions in conformity with the Constitution and to provide for related matters. DATE OF ASSENT: 23rd February, 2000 Conditions for registration 9. The commission shall not register a political party under this Act unless a. the internal organization of the party conforms to democratic principles and its actions and purposes are not contrary to or inconsistent with the Constitution; b. the party has on its national executive committee one member from each region; c. the party has branches in all the regions and is, in addition ORGANIZED in not less than two-thirds of the districts in each region; d. there is in each district at least one founding member of the party who is ordinarily resident in the district or is a registered voter in the district; There is NO MENTION of the word OFFICE in the Act. So where did the EC get the word from? I guess from the same place it got the 7th December provision. Are we really safe? Common sense Assuming the word OFFICE is in the Act. Does the Act define an OFFICE? What is an office? This takes me back to 1983 when we started Economics. Our teacher asked for the definition of Market. One of my mates got up and pointed to the Dodowa market and wondered why the question at all. The teacher replied, a market need not be a physical place but any arrangement that brings buyers and sellers into contact. 32years after, an EC led by a lawyer is defining an office as a physical place. Common sense should tell anyone that an office need not be a physical place. My office is in my bag. The EC presented a budget of Ghc 1.2b to parliament which was cut by a 3rd. Common sense will dictate that under such circumstances, the EC would stick to its core mandate to conduct free and fair elections starting with a credible voters register and not how many chairs a party has in a district. How does this ill-advised exercise improve the freeness and fairness of the elections? Does the EC know why it was appointed at all? Does the EC understand the constitution and related Acts of Parliament which it is supposed to be operating with? This is very worrying but not surprising. The whole system is rotten. The Minority Leader who is supposed to hold the government and its appointees accountable has jumped to support the illegal and totally unnecessary fatwa of the EC. Where was the Minority leader when the EC Boss misinformed Parliament about a non-existent provision stipulating election date and presented an over-inflated budget to Parliament? The smaller parties also do not see the fraud. The collective brain of the political establishment is in hibernation. Morality We know that the Political Parties does not talk about offices, but lets assume it does and further agree that it improves the freeness and fairness of the elections. I am saying the State does not fund political parties so it has no moral right to make such demands on any party. You do not have any moral right to demand the exams results of a person whose fees you did not pay, do you? In Australia, political parties are partly funded by the State, so the State has the moral right to demand how the tax payers money is used. EC role is to ensure the practice of democratic principles within political parties and not how may tables and flower vases the parties own in a district. Parties present their vision to the electorate who decide. The ECs job is to ensure that the outcome of the election reflects the Will of the people. The infrastructure that parties use to communicate with the electorate is not part of the ECs job. This fatwa is thoroughly thoughtless. It has all the marks of an agency completely out of its depth. The EC is panicky that a yet to be registered party is bringing light to a stuporous political environment, so its invoking the spirit of Herod to kill the infant party before it hits the road. The EC lies bad. Dr. Nii Amu Darko, Leader African Reform Movement [email protected] 04.01.2016 LISTEN Ghanaians are seen all over the world as hospitable people. This is not false but is also not entirely true. In the area of business, there is no trust because of the dubious means of business transactions. Employees treat Fridays as holidays, either going to work late or going but not working. Among local food producers also, inhumane practices which go a long way to endanger the lives of consumers are adopted. Few months ago, it came to public attention that palm oil is mixed with Sudan IV dye to increase the quantity and subsequently lead to more profits. Plantain chips production is no exception, the producers use a deadly method to make the product crispy and stay longer. Producers melt plastic carrier bags in very hot oil in order to make the ripe plantain crispy and stay so for a relatively longer time. The Food and Drugs Authoritys principal regulatory officer in an interview with TV Africa on 21st January 2014 about their view on this practice, his response was: it is a hoax, a way some people are trying to make these plantain chips sellers lose their jobs. He went further to say that before the plantain is fried, the polythene bag traces are removed from the oil .So consumers dont chew the plastic. He emphasized that the only problem they (The Food and Drugs Authority) have is how the producers package the product. This saddened my heart because, the Food and Drugs Authority is supposed to know better. I began asking myself what might have informed this decision from the Food Drug Authority. Is it the fear of getting some folks out of business? Or there is not enough money to fund the operation or it is sheer incompetence and lack of expertise. Whatever the reason, it doesnt justify this inhumane act which has a high probability of endangering Ghanaian lives. Plastic carrier bags contain biphenyl, styrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene and polystyrene all of which are systematic polymers. All these chemicals leach gradually anytime they come into contact with hot foods especially oily foods. Strategic accumulation leads to serious health problems like cancer and other hormonal and reproductive complications. If a person eats hot food items carried in plastic bags for a long period, he or she is very likely to get serious health problems- Dr. M. Madhusudan (King George Government hospital, India). Some of the health problems according to Dr. Madhusudan are cancer and heart diseases, tissue damages, genetic damages, chromosomal errors, miscarriage, birth defects, early onset of puberty and hormonal changes in children. Also, the leaching is intense when the food is oily. I hope you now get why most of the ripe plantain chips we chew are poisonous. According to Dr. Sanjay Mehroha, a cardiovascular specialist, the average person living in the city has 2 to 3 grams of plastic in their system. The Food and Drugs Authority has no right to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians. The chemicals in the plastic carrier bags are leached into the oil before they are taken out, In fact, the crisp nature of this chips is because of the crisp nature of most plastic carrier bags which is also as a result of the chemicals it contains On behalf of all plantain chips consumers, both ones who know about this menace and those who do not, I plead with the Food and Drugs Authority to check this deadly practice. We do not want it to be obvious that ripe plantain chips have caused serious health problems before the appropriate ameliorative actions are taken. Frimpong Felix University of Ghana, Legon [email protected] Bolgatanga, Jan. 4, GNA - Mr Mark Woyongo, the Minister of Interior, has proposed a five - year presidential tenure of office for the country to ensure that the winning party fully executes its development agenda. Mr Woyongo, also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Navrongo Central, made the proposal in an interview with the GNA after his return from Burkina Faso where in had gone to witness the swearing-in of Mr Roch Marc Christian Kabore , the new president. 'The five years period for the tenure of office of the Presidency will be very ideal for Ghana. There is the need to review the constitutional provision to create a room for that, just like our neigbouring country Burkina Faso which has five years under its constitutional provision for her tenure of the Presidency', the Interior Minister proposed. The ceremony in Ouagadougou attracted about 5,000 people and various heads of states from Benin, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Senegal. Mr Woyongo argued that with the four year period for the Presidential tenure of office in Ghana, it would be very difficult for any political party who emerges as winner to execute all planned development agenda. He said in the last elections for instance, the initial year was spent in battling the election problem in court leaving only three years for the National Democratic Congress government to execute its agenda. Mr Woyongo said quite often too, the government in power under the four year tenure system was not able to focus adequately in the fourth year as it is an election year and has to campaign. GNA The Ghana Adventist Singing Band Union (GASBU), of the South Ghana Conference of the SDA Church has donated assorted items worth over seven thousand Ghana Cedis to the inmates of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital. The items include; bags of gari and sugar, toiletries, slippers, used clothing's, drinks among others. Presenting the items, the Executive Secretary Of the South Ghana Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Nathan Odonkor said the donation forms part of the church's corporate social responsibility to society. He again stressed that the inmates are part of God's family and needs to be shown love and care to help speed up their healing process. Pastor Odonkor further urged Ghanaians to always pray for the inmates and avoid stigmatizing them when they come back into the society. Receiving the items on behalf of the inmates, Mrs. Elesi Otto thanked GASBU and the entire SDA Church for the kind gesture. She promised the Union the items will be used for its intended purpose. However Mrs. Otoo just like Oliver Twist, asked for more and called on other benevolent and faith based organisations to emulate the gesture. Meanwhile, in a group of two, GASBU marched through both the male and female wards with good tunes and popular choruses such as "Oye", "Oh Yehowa" and others. The singing exercise was coupled with prayers for the inmates. The Ministerial and Family Ministries Director, Pastor Acheampong and Elder I. O Amponsem who is the Finance Officer of the Valley View University where also there to support. Sokwai (Ash), Jan. 04, GNA - Candidates running for this year's presidential and parliamentary elections have been asked to have the courage to respect the will of voters, however, tasteless they might find that. The General Overseer of the Emmanuel Salvation Church, Senior Apostle Anthony Ahenkan, cautioned that any attempt to subvert the decision of the people would be unhelpful to the peace and stability of the nation. 'That could snowball into something nasty and destroy the democratic progress made over the past two decades', he proclaimed in what he said was a prophetic message to the country through the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Sokwai near Ntensere in the Atwima-Nwabiagya District. Apostle Ahenkan called for strong support for the Electoral Commission (EC) to efficiently and independently carry out its constitutional mandate. It should be provided with what it needed to ensure free, fair, transparent and credible elections, the outcome of which would be accepted by all the political parties. He said the world would be watching and the expectation was that President John Dramani Mahama would keep his promise of a clean poll, pointing out that, he owed it a duty to himself, the people and posterity, to hold the nation together. He appealed to him not to do anything that would remotely point to abuse of incumbency or misuse of the coercive powers of the state for unfair political advantage. He urged everybody to conduct themselves responsibly, remain on the alert and help to prevent cheating during the polls. Apostle Ahenkan said this was way forward to protect the peace and sustain the nation on the path of multi-party democracy. GNA Denmark and Sweden tightened border checks on Monday to stem the flow of migrants and asylum seekers coming in from Germany, dealing fresh blows to the vision of a Europe without national boundaries. As of midnight Sunday, Sweden demanded that all passengers traveling by train from Denmark show ID, something that hasn't been required since the 1950s. Within hours of the Swedish measure taking effect, the Danish government announced it was stepping up controls of its border with Germany, to make sure that migrants headed for Sweden don't get stuck in Denmark. Germany introduced border controls of its own on the Austrian frontier in mid-September. The government doesn't want Denmark to become a new big destination for refugees, Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said. More than 190,000 migrants crossed the German-Danish border last year. About 13,000 applied for asylum in Denmark, while others traveled further north to Sweden, Norway and Finland, Loekke Rasmussen said. The moves were the latest by European Union countries to suspend an agreement to keep internal borders open after 1 million migrants and refugees entered the 28-nation bloc in 2015, most of them by crossing the Mediterranean to Greece or Italy. Loekke Rasmussen said if the EU can't protect its external border you will see more and more countries forced to introduce temporary border controls. Refugee rights advocates warned of a domino effect, with European countries tightening their borders one by one and cutting off the main migrant routes through Europe. When the new Swedish rules were announced last month, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said they could have the effect of preventing individuals from exercising the right to seek asylum. To comply with the new rules, passengers on Monday had to show identification to board trains departing from Copenhagen Airport to Sweden across a bridge and tunnel. The move was meant to deter migrants, many of whom are entering illegally. It appeared to have an immediate effect. Swedish police spokeswoman Ewa-Gun Westford said that as of midday Monday only one asylum-seeker had arrived by train across the bridge. At the height of the migrant crisis a few months ago, more than 1,000 crossed the bridge daily. In response, Denmark increased its border controls with Germany. The Danish prime minister said the move was necessary because the Swedish rules could lead to more refugees and migrants being stopped on their journey northward, and therefore ending up with us in Denmark. He said the Danish checks wouldn't be as far-reaching as the Swedish ones, entailing only spot checks on passengers on trains crossing the mainland border on the Jutland peninsula and on ferries arriving in the Danish ports of Gedser and Roedby. He said there would be no problem for ordinary Danes and Germans to cross the border. His center-right government has taken a series of measures to discourage migrants from coming to Denmark, including a proposal to seize their jewelry to cover their expenses in the country. Sweden's left-leaning government initially had a welcoming attitude to migrants, but reversed course after more than 160,000 Syrians, Iraqis, Afghans and others applied for asylum in 2015, the highest number in Europe except for Germany. German officials said Europe's system of passport-free travel across borders is in danger following the Scandinavian moves. Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said that the so-called Schengen system of passport-free travel is very important, but it's in danger due to the flow of refugees that we in Europe have indeed been struggling to deal with in the past months. Wire services 04.01.2016 LISTEN Duayaw-Nkwanta, (B/A), Jan. 4, GNA - Mrs Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North Constituency, over the weekend said she has fulfilled almost all the 2008 campaign promises she made to the people. She asked her constituents to be in expectancy as she lobbied for more development projects that would better their lot this year. Mrs Prempeh told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Duayaw-Nkwanta that all the communities in her constituency had one way or the other benefited from development projects. She said last year she supported the renovation of the Yamfo Police Post with 100 bags of cement, reshaped the Yamfo-Assen road and provided solar street lights at the Assen Township. The MP said the Ahyiayem community also benefited from street lights, packets of roofing sheets, as well as health and education support. Mrs Prempeh said at Susuanso, she supported the construction of the durbar grounds, provided 100 bags of cement to the local Presbyterian mission and streetlights in the town. She said she supplied the Susuanso traditional council with two computers and two printers, a multi-purpose photo copier machines and funded the construction of several boreholes in most of the rural areas in the Constituency. Mrs Prempeh expressed appreciation to the chiefs and people in the area for their cooperation and she gave the assurance that with their support, she would be able to help address most of the challenges confronting the people. She entreated the people to retain her in the general election so that she would be able to complete all the on-going projects she had started. GNA Tema, Jan. 4, GNA - TT Brothers Limited, local representative of Parlmalat Pure Joy of South Africa, on Friday, donated 30 bags of rice, assorted food drinks and 15 gallons of cooking oil worthy GH 3,000.00 to Tema SOS Village. Mr D. D. Ofoe, Board Chairman of the Company who made the presentation on behalf of the Company said it was the policy of the Company to support the community in which it operated. He said the Company had signed a five-year contract with the SOS Village where TT Brothers would make donation to the Village every New Year and every Easter festivities. Mr Ofoe said the aim for signing the agreement was to put smiles on the faces of the less-privileged in the society especially during festive occasions. He pledged the company's commitment of renewing the contract at the end of the five-year period when the contract was expected to expire. Mr Nicholas Nii Addo, Marketing Manager of TT Brothers Limited, said the company would continue to put on the Ghanaian markets energy fruits and also offer innovative at all times. Madam Doris Offei, Director of the SOS Village who received the items on behalf of the Village, thanked the company for the kind gesture and called on other corporate bodies and institutions to emulate the shining example of TT Brothers. The company also entertained the inmates of the Village with food and drinks amidst fun fair and good music. Sunyani, Jan. 4, GNA - The Right Reverend Dr Festus Yeboah-Asuamah, the Anglican Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese, at the weekend said incessant prayers are required if the country will go through a successful and peaceful general elections. In addition to the prayers, the Anglican Bishop asked Ghanaians to try as much as possible to tolerate each other and avoid subversive statements that could threaten national peace and cohesion. Rt Rev Dr Yeboah-Asuamah was speaking at the installation of four canons of the Diocese in Sunyani. Canons Rev Fr Kofi Anane, Rev Fr Martin Apraku Amankwah, Mr Kenneth Lartey Addo and Rev Fr Erasmus Ashitey are responsible for Guilds and Society, Administration, Convener Lay Ministry as well as youth and children respectively. Rt Rev Dr Yeboah-Asuamah said the country needs patriotism that would stand before God and pray for the nation, as it prepares for another general election. He said 2016 is a year of peace, abundant blessings and prosperity but it takes prayer for all these blessings to come to reality. The Anglican Bishop told the newly installed canons that the work of the ministry required loyalty and total consecration. He said without commitment, dedication and selflessness they could not be able to fulfill their ministry. GNA Accra, Jan 4, GNA - The Police Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital on New Year's Day together recorded 37 new births of which 76 per cent were males. Corporal Faustina Nunekpeku, the Public Relations Officer of the Police Hospital told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that the facility recorded 27 new births on New Year's Day of which 21 were males; adding three of them were delivered through caesarean sections. Mrs Cecilia A. Konadu, Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) at the Military Hospital said the facility chronicled 10 new babies on New Year's Day; consisting of seven males and three females. She observed that of the 10 babies, half were delivered through caesarean section. She said the Maternity Department of the Hospital was being over stretched due to the large volume of referrals. She also explained that maternity units in Accra were being over stretched due to the large volume of cases and therefore, appealed to government and corporate entities to help expand such facilities. She advised expectant mothers to find someone to donate blood on their behalf to be stored to cater for emergencies during delivery when blood transfusion may be needed. She advised expectant mothers to report quickly to the nearest health facility anytime they saw signs of labour or abnormality and appealed to corporate bodies to help stock the blood bank of the Hospital by organising regular blood donation exercises for them. The DDNS advised mothers of new born babies to ensure that their babies were exclusively breast fed for the first six months, to enable them growth healthier. She also urged them to ensure that their children go through all the vaccinations against the six childhood killer diseases within the first 18 months of their births. She advised breastfeeding mothers to eat healthy foods and to have enough rest each day; adding that 'they must report to the nearest clinic, anytime there is an abnormality'. GNA 04.01.2016 LISTEN Accra, Jan. 4, GNA - Elvis Amoah, a student allegedly involved in a GH83,500 cedi fraud case, was arrested by security officials and handed over to an Accra Circuit Court when he attempted to travel outside the country. Amoah is alleged to have defrauded Dr Isaac Kwabena Boakye of the stated amount under the pretext of selling to him four plots of land at Kwabenya in Accra. The said plots, however, belonged to the state. The Court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku today revoked his 100,000 cedis bail and remanded him into lawful custody to reappear on January 18. The Court further ordered for the seizure of his new Ghanaian passport and green card. The GNA gathered that Amoah had prayed the Court to grant him two months adjournment to visit his ailing mother in the Brong Ahafo Region. The Court, however, at its last sitting declined and gave him two weeks. On December 30, Amoah attempted to travel outside the country but was nabbed by security officials at the Kotoka International Airport. As part of his earlier bail condition in May 2015, the Court ordered Amoah to deposit his Ghanaian passport and green card but he managed to secure a new passport and green card and attempted to travel with them on December 30. Charged with defrauding by false pretences, Amoah had pleaded not guilty. He was therefore granted GH 100,000 with three sureties one to be a public servant earning not less than GH 500 cedis a month. As part of the bail conditions he was to deposit his Ghanaian passport and USA green card to the Court. In the substantive case, prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) A.A. Annor said the complainant is a medical practitioner resident in Germany and Amoah is a student of Illinois Institute of Technology in the USA. In 2010, when the accused person was in Ghana he made the complainant believe that he could secure him four plots of land at Kwabenya in Accra. Based on that DSP Annor said Amoah collected GH 83,500 from Dr Boakye and allegedly issued the complainant with an Indenture dated November 3, 2011. According to prosecution the indenture was signed by Nii Adjei Kpobi Asaawa and Ernest Okine. When the complainant attempted to develop the land he was resisted by another person. The complainant therefore conducted an official search at the Lands Commission and it came to light that the land belongs to the State. Accused however disagreed with the complainant's report after the search, failed to refund the complainant money and attempted to sneak out of the country. Meanwhile on May 14, last year, Ghana Immigration Service Officers at the Kotoka International Airport were served with arrest warrant. On May 18, last year, Amoah was found checking in to board a KLM flight to Amsterdam when Immigration officers arrested him and handed him over to the Police. Amoah in his caution statement admitted the offence. GNA 04.01.2016 LISTEN A legal practitioner Nana Asante Bediatuo says time and money are no excuse for the Electoral Commission not to compile a new voters' register. Nana Bediatuo who is in court challenging the decision by the Electoral Commission to use the current register in the 2016 election says the EC can use three weeks if it is minded. Citing the Nigerian and Kenyan examples, he said those countries managed to compile new registers in 21 days because they know how sensitive the issue of voters' register is to their countries. He said even in Ghana, all the registration exercises done in the past took three weeks. He added that instead of concentrating on time and money the country should be looking at having a clean, accurate register. "We cannot appeal to time and say we should do it anyhow," he stated. The Electoral Commission has shot down a proposal by the New Patriotic Party and other pressure groups for the compilation of a new register. The proponents for a new register claim it is bloated with names of minors, non Ghanaians, dead people etc. But the Commission said the arguments for a new register were not convincing. The Commission also questioned the basis on which it has been taken to court. The former Youth Organiser of the People National Convention Abu Ramadan proceeded to court to challenge the decision by the EC to use the current register. Among the claims by Ramadan was that the EC, at some point, used the NHIA cards as proof of identification before registering the people but the Supreme Court later ruled the use of the cards were illegal and should be declared null and void. But the EC says nowhere in the ruling did the court nullify all registration of voters who presented NHIA cards as proof of citizenship. Nana Asante Bediatuo who is lawyer for Abu Ramadan said the EC position is a "symptom of their misunderstanding of the whole case." He argued the EC stopped using the NHIA cards because the court said it was unconstitutional and therefore "the regulation (Regulation 1 3b CI 72) which allowed citizens who wanted to register to use the NHIA card, was declared unconstitutional because it did not establish the citizenship of the person registering, then of course everything that is based in that regulation, including the registration is also null and void. "It is a simple legal analysis," he said. He also dismissed claims that the nullification of Regulation 1 3 b of CI72 cannot take retrospective effect. The government has since been criticized by aid agencies for delaying and not admitting the severity sooner while trying to maintain the narrative of Ethiopias great economic renaissance, achieving about 10 percent annual growth for the last decade. Then theres the hurdle of compassion fatigue: 2015 has seen crises all over the world overwhelm headlines, governments and NGOs. Aid agencies warn this drought could impact Ethiopias long-term prospects, with significant gains made over the years in food security, education and health are now in jeopardy in parts of Ethiopia. Consequences could ripple through generations, says the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund. To the east of Tigray is its even more arid regionally neighbor: the Afar, famous for its Danakil depression the hottest place on earth. This area is normally drought-affected, so the life of the community depends on the government and NGOs, says 40-year-old Dawit Hegos, a schoolteacher in the small Afar town of Mawo. This drought is a big problem. Its unreasonable to expect the government to do everything; other countries with crises need help its not just Ethiopia. About a mile from the school is a dam built by ADCS with foreign funds in 2012, creating a small reservoir for the surrounding areas livestock. Before the dam we had no access to water and had to take cattle far away into the hills to try find rivers, says Hussein Esmael, a member of the local militia, his AK-47 perched on a shoulder. Now its needed even more as animals dont have strength to go long distances to find water. From many of those living in Tigray and Afar comes a common and ominous refrain: The animals die first. Those working for NGOs now scrabbling for funds point out that historically the effects of a drought get worst from about January onwards, when people have used up all their reserve food stocks. Already people are cutting back on food. For some a meal consists of coffee and bread, or injera a spongy pancake-shaped bread with a little salt, the usual accompanying vegetables and meat sauces absent. There are a lot of mothers coming to us saying, I have nothing in my breast, give me something for my baby, says 28-year-old Solomon Sibhat, a clinical nurse at a health center in the small town of Alitena. It has got worse. But we have nothing to help. We say we are sorry. Foreign financial assistance is arriving, totalling about $167 million so far, combined with the Ethiopian government committing an unprecedented $192 million to help prevent deaths from the drought. But the overall emergency response could cost $1.4 billion, according to aid agencies, especially if El Nino quashes Ethiopias next rainy season. The United Nations estimates such a situation could result in more than 15 million Ethiopians suffering food shortages, acute malnutrition or worse by mid-2016 unless donations increase. And that mushrooming figure may well prove an underestimate once again, if the current trend of aid agency press releases with ever-increasing numbers is anything to go by. We really feel guilty when we see what we are supposed to do but cant because of lack of resources and capabilities, says Sister Azalech, director of the clinic at Idaga Hamus. When asked what needs to happen, among the nuns reply in Tigrinya one word stands out clearly: Geunzeb. Money. IVA Struggling with debt? Compare your debt options and write off up to 80% of your unsecured debts from 80 per month Get Started for free What is an IVA? With an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) you can make affordable monthly payments towards a percentage of your debt for 5 years. At the end of the 5 year plan, your remaining debt will be completely written off. Benefits of an IVA Here is a list of the cost common advantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA): Affordability You will only be asked to pay back what you can afford, with allowances taken into account for food, bills, entertainment, travel, childcare and others. You may be sacrificing certain essential costs at the moment. With an IVA they are budgeted for so they will no longer be neglected No upfront costs When you set up an IVA, there are no upfront costs whatsoever. This means that you can put a debt solution in place today without spending a penny You have a finishing line Do you feel like there will be no end to your debt problems? With high interest costs and charges, the balances of your credit accounts may not reduce as you need them to. With an IVA you will become totally debt free at the completion of the IVA (usually 5 years). You can use this as an opportunity to change your financial life, for good Confidential Your IVA is not advertised in the London Gazette or local newspaper. It is your decision whether you would like to disclose it to other people or not No more contact from creditors When you are in an IVA, your creditors will no longer have the right to contact you or refer the debt on to debt collectors/bailiffs. This is a great benefit for most people as it will take away the stress caused by constant calls/texts/emails and home visits Stay in your house Unlike some debt solutions, an IVA will allow you to stay in your current home. This is even the case if the property has a mortgage or is owned outright Your pension An IVA does not have an impact on your pension. You will not have to surrender your pension or withdraw money from it to pay into your IVA Risks of an IVA Here is a list of the cost common disadvantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA): Equity Release If you own your property and it has value, you may be asked to release the equity in the property Credit Rating If you have a perfect credit rating, this will be damaged and you will not be allowed to take out more debt whilst in an arrangement You must keep up with repayments If you do not keep up with your monthly repayments, there is a risk you will be made bankrupt Who qualifies for an IVA? There is no office guidelines to who qualifies for an IVA. It is a legally binding, Government legislation designed to help all people. Generally speaking, insolvency practitioners (IP) will look at your situation if they think the IVA proposal they submit is beneficial to both yourself (the debtor) and your creditors. This often restricts people to a certain criteria which you will have to meet: Over 5000 worth of unsecured debt You must have 2 or more creditors of 2 or more lines of credit Must live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland Must be insolvent Must be willing to pay at least 70 per month into their IVA Must have some type or types of regular income What debts can I include in an IVA? You can include a wide range of unsecured debts within your IVA. These include: Credit card debt/credit cards Loans/loan debt Payday loans Council tax arrears HMRC debt Overpaid benefits Catalogues Gas and electricity arrears Overdrafts/overdraft debt Water arrears Income tax arrears Debts to friends and family Other unsecured debts Note: If you are a resident of Scotland, you will need to apply for a Scottish Trust Deed (legally binding). Speak to our advisors for Scottish Debt Advice. What debts cant be included in an IVA? Secured loans Your mortgage (if you still live in the house) Car finance (if you still have the car) Rent arrears for your current property Court fines/Police fines Hire purchase arrears (if you still have the product) Log book loans (if you still have the vehicle that the debts are secured on) Student loans Other secured debts What does I.V.A stand for? IVA stands for Individual Voluntary Arrangement. It is a formal way to consolidate your debts into one affordable monthly repayment, resulting in the debtor becoming debt free at the end of their payments. Can I apply for an IVA online? Use the IVA Calculator to check your eligibility Prepare your IVA proposal and apply for your IVA. When your IVA is accepted, your creditors can no longer contact you. Pay 60 low monthly payments. After 5 years, you are out of your IVA and completely debt free. Will an IVA affect my employment? In most occupations, your credit rating or credit scoring is not a factor and it may never have been checked in the past, it may also be likely that it is not checked in the future either. There is no law to tell you that you must advise your employer that you have entered an IVA or that you owe money. They will not be notified by your insolvency practitioner. If you wanted to keep it a private matter, in most cases this would be absolutely fine. With some roles such as financial advisors, solicitors or bank workers it may make up part of your contract to advise them of changes like this. In these situations we would advise to inform your employers of your intentions before you enter into any arrangements. This way there will be no nasty surprises for you later down the line. More often than not, we find that your employer would not be concerned by your IVA and that it would not affect your employment status. An IVA is a formal solution and could affect some employments, such as if you were a solicitor or accountant for example. We would always recommend that you receive approval from your employers that your job isnt affected before you sign up for anything. Will an IVA impact my partner? There are certain situations where you may not want to involve your partner at all in your IVA proposal due to personal reasons. Insolvency Practitioners are very aware of these circumstances and can operate solely via telephone and email and at your convenience, so rest assured that your matters can be kept completely private. If the debts which you are looking to place into your IVA are in joint names, then this would be different. Your IP would look to place all of your debts into an IVA, including joint debts therefore you would have to inform your partner of your plans. If your debts are solely yours, then there would be no negative impact on your partner, their credit score would remain unaffected and they would not be entered onto any registers or be tainted in any way. Will an IVA affect my credit score/credit file? Whilst you are in your arrangement, you will not be able to get any credit. An IVA will stay on your credit file for 6 years, so 12 months after a typical IVA. When this time has passed and your monthly payments have ended, you will be able to rebuild your credit rating. What proof will I need to apply for an IVA? Proof of ID Passport/driving license/birth certificate/utility bills/national insurance identification/credit agreement Bank statements 3 months bank statements with all transactions displayed Proof of income 3 months payslips/P60/proof of benefits How long does it take to set up an IVA? Your initial call will only last around 5-10 minutes. The IVA process will be explained to you and you will be told what further information you will need to provide to proceed with your IVA proposal. Once you have returned the required information, an IVA will usually take between 7-14 days to get into place. You will be protected from creditors within this time, your advisor will provide you with documentation via email. How long does an IVA last? Most IVAs will last for a length of five years. The i v a will remain on your credit file for a period of six years and is placed on the Insolvency Register for that period. You can work out what date it will be removed from your credit file, it will be six years from the start date of the IVA term. So if the IVA started on 1 January 2000, it should be removed from your credit file six years from that date, which would be 1 January 2006. When you apply for an individual voluntary arrangement your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) will tell you if you qualify for an IVA, how long it lasts, how much it costs and provide you with any other debt advice which you may need. How much will debt advice cost for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement? The advice cost for individual voluntary arrangements is free of charge. Your I.V.A company will tell you if you qualify for an IVA. They will talk to you about your different debts, provide you with free debt advice and check if your creditors are likely to approve your proposal for your IVA for debt. How does an IVA affect your life? By taking out an IVA you may affect your overall financial position. You will not be allowed to take out credit for 6 years. You will struggle to get a mortgage or remortgage your existing property. It also may affect any future increase in earnings or windfalls you may receive, as these will need to be paid to your insolvency practitioner. Your insolvency practitioner will take control of your debts for this period, they will deal with all of your creditors and this is legally binding. That means you will not be allowed to take out any more debts whilst in the IVA. Once the plan is completed, any debts which you accrue will be managed by yourself. Your ability to take out further debts in the future will not be impacted once the IVA has completed. What is the IVA protocol? The I.V.A protocol is a voluntary set of guidelines which your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) can sign up for which improves the efficiency of Individual Voluntary Arrangements. When you apply for debt advice, it is important that you understand the steps of the debt solution, so you can decide whether or not the solution is the best one for your circumstances. How do I know if creditors will accept my IVA? Generally speaking, most creditors will approve voluntary arrangements for unsecured debt. But some debts can not be included within one formal debt solution. Your Insolvency Practitioner will tell you how likely it is that your creditors will be willing to accept your proposal, based on the voting creditors. Can I pay in one lump sum? There are occasions when you may be eligible for a debt solution which is payable in a one off lump sum as a final settlement to your creditors. This is usually when the money is being gifted from some one else, or you have received inheritance or a windfall for example. With a one-off lump sum payment, the advice is usually the same as when you normally apply for an IVA. You wouldnt have to make regular payments into the solution, your IP can provide you with more advice on one off lump sum solutions for your debts. Your IP will provide you with more advice on the debt IVA and explain what is IVA to you. Who regulates the debt industry? At present the debt industry is not regulated. Some Insolvency Practitioners offices choose to sign up to the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) or register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can contact the IPA using the contact details or email address on their website. Your creditors do not regulate the debt industry and your creditors will not be able to impact any decisions which the IPA or FCA make. In our experience, the regulators will take assertive action on any advisers or businesses which do not comply with their strict codes of practice. To check if a person is regulated by the FCA, enter their name into the search box in the FCA website. Should I use a debt charity? There are thousands of companies which provide debt help in the UK. You may be looking for an alternative to a private company. You should know that charities usually pass their fee charging products to sister companies which charge fees and disbursements, just like private companies. So what you initially thought was a good option, on further analysis could be different to what you originally thought. Charities do have their part to play though. They can help you if you have a problem with your bank accounts, maintenance arrears, living costs, credit reference agencies, child support arrears, bankruptcy, assets, accountancy issues, mortgages, creditor issues, insurance providers, mobiles, your bank account, rates arrears, PAYE contributions or if you want to work out your expenditure. They can make sure that you speak to an adviser or supervisor and look at proposals to offer your lender. A petition has started with the possibility of a debate in parliament about how charities represent themselves and their services. Which charities help with debt? You can contact Money Advice Service, National Debtline, Step Change, Shelter or a combination of the three. Charities are particular useful for a low debt level under 1,000. If the debt is high (such as a debt value of 10,000 or more) you would usually seek an assessment from a professional adviser. If you do decide to use a charity to guide you, make sure you check their charity number and the registration number on their website to make sure you are content that their team can answer your questions in the right ways. A lot of clients of charities have a minimum debt level which does not meet the basis for an IVA, so you could always chat to a charity that is happy to act on your behalf for low debt levels. Although an I.V.A could be the answer to your debt problem, its important to understand the monthly payment so call us on our free phone number. Anyone customers can receive expert feedback on their rights from debt charities, if they cant help they will usually point you in the director of firms which help with IVAs. We are homeowners, will lenders see my proposal differently? In some cases yes. In the majority of cases, if you are a homeowner you will not need to remortgage or take out any additional finances that will effect your property. You will need to sign a additional restrictions which remove your ability to take out additional credit tied to your property, which is something that is restricted once you are in an i.v.a. There are exceptions to this, such as when you have a lot of equity in your property/properties. If you own half of a property and another party owns the other half, only your equity will be affected. If you are landlord and you are in a position of equity, your IP may review your trading position or business to make sure the figures in question are in order. This is usually the case if you have two or more properties, as sometimes the equity can be used to form a repayment to your creditors. But this usually depends on the amount of value built up in your properties. Banks and building societies will not change the terms of your mortgage as long as a contribution is still being made for the duration of your arrangement. Your mortgage payments will be added to your expenses and accounted for within your budget, as long as you can provide evidence that you can afford to continue to make payments into your mortgage for duration of the plan. LOOKING FOR HELP? 100% Confidential. Thousands Helped. No upfront fees you are here: Sudan also said Monday it was severing its diplomatic relations with Iran, adding that the decision would take effect immediately. And the state-run news agency of the United Arab Emirates said the country is downgrading its diplomatic relations with Iran to only focus on business relationships. The UAE's Foreign Ministry also said it was recalling its ambassador from Tehran. Saudi Arabia's U.N. Mission insisted the kingdom granted "fair and just trials" to 47 people who were executed last weekend, responding to concerns raised by the U.N. chief over the fairness of the judicial proceedings. The Saudi mission, in a statement sent to The Associated Press, expressed "deep regret" at a statement from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman on Saturday saying al-Nimr and a number of other prisoners executed were convicted after trials "that raised serious concerns over the nature of the charges and the fairness of the process." The Saudi statement assured the U.N. chief of "the independence and impartiality of the judiciary authority." It said state-appointed lawyers were provided to some of the defendants, and that appeals in some of the cases took up to 10 years. The statement said the final rulings against the 47 people executed were reached "based on their own criminal and illegal actions" without consideration of their intellectual, racial or sectarian background. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority announced Monday on Twitter that all flights to and from Iran had been cancelled. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, accused Iranian authorities of being complicit in the embassy attack, saying that documents and computers were taken during the raid. He said the Saudi diplomatic representative had sought help from the Iranian foreign ministry when the building was stormed, but the requests were ignored three times. The developments illustrate Saudi Arabia's new aggressiveness under King Salman. During his reign, the country has led a coalition fighting Shia rebels in Yemen and staunchly opposed regional Shia power Iran, even as Tehran struck a nuclear deal with world powers. Speaking to Al Jazeera from Beirut, Lebanon, Joseph Kechichian, a Middle East analyst, said the Saudi decision to suspend diplomatic ties was quite a surprise. This is an escalation that will create havoc in the region, he said, referring to the latest developments. Ellie Geranmayeh, an Iran expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the Saudi decision was likely to have repercussions for the region, particularly concerning the Syrian negotiations. Western powers must increase efforts to safeguard this process and encourage the Saudis and Iran to continue their participation [in the Syria peace talks], she told Al Jazeera from London. These events further set back the urgently needed rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh, and spell further trouble for an already fragile region. Friction between Saudi Arabia and Iran rose sharply on Saturday after Saudi Arabia announced the execution of al-Nimr along with 46 other prisoners, including three other Shia dissidents and dozens of Sunni Al-Qaeda fighters. It was the largest mass execution carried out by the kingdom in three and a half decades. Al-Nimr was a central figure in protests by Saudi Arabia's Shia minority until his arrest in 2012, and his execution drew condemnation from Shias across the Middle East. Prior to the Saudi announcement on cutting diplomatic ties, Iran's top leader had warned Saudi Arabia of divine revenge over the cleric's execution. Riyadh meanwhile accused Tehran of supporting terrorism. The Iranian Foreign Ministry had summoned the Saudi envoy in Tehran to protest, while the Saudi Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's envoy to the kingdom to protest that country's criticism of the execution, saying it represented blatant interference in its internal affairs. By early Sunday morning in Tehran, a crowd had gathered outside the Saudi Embassy and chanted anti-Saudi slogans. Some protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the embassy, setting off a fire in part of the building, said the country's top police official, Gen. Hossein Sajedinia, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. He later said police had removed the protesters from the building and arrested some of them, adding that the situation had been defused. A Tehran prosecutor said 40 people were arrested on suspicion of taking part in the embassy attack and investigators were pursuing other suspects, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, while condemning Saudi Arabia's execution of al-Nimr, also branded those who attacked the Saudi Embassy as extremists. It is unjustifiable, he said in a statement. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said that by condemning the execution, Iran had revealed its true face represented in support for terrorism. The statement, carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, accused Tehran of blind sectarianism and said that by its defense of terrorist acts Iran is a partner in their crimes in the entire region. Al-Nimr was convicted of terrorism charges but denied ever advocating violence. Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran are locked in a bitter rivalry, and support opposite sides in the wars in Syria and Yemen. Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorism in part because it backs Syrian rebel groups, while Riyadh points to Iran's support for the Lebanese Hezbollah and other Shia fighters in the region. The cleric's execution could also complicate Saudi Arabia's relationship with the Shia-led government in Iraq. The Saudi Embassy in Baghdad is preparing to formally reopen for the first time in nearly 25 years. Already on Saturday there were public calls for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to shut the embassy down again. Al-Nimr's supporters protested in his hometown of al-Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia, in neighboring Bahrain where police fired tear gas and birdshot, in Lebanon and as far away as northern India. The last time Saudi Arabia carried out a mass execution on this scale was in 1980, when the kingdom executed 63 people convicted over the 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest city. Extremists held the mosque, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba toward which Muslims around the world pray, for two weeks as they demanded the royal family abdicate the throne. Al Jazeera and wire services business Buy ONGC at lower levels: Rajat Bose Rajat Bose of rajatkbose.com is of the view that one can buy ONGC at lower levels. Village Roadshow is restarting to produce some strength in its momentum. There could be some trading opportunities in the short term Despite gloom, China bottoms The All Ordinaries was down on the first trading day of 2016. However, strong stocks were able to withstand todays downward pressure. Much of the pressure came from a weaker Chinese manufacturing sector. The Shanghai Composite saw a bloody drop by almost 4% at 1pm local time. Being an Australian Chinese, I can tell you its not a good start to the year for Chinese investors. Talking about superstition, this year is going to be the Year of Monkey for China. Traditionally, people prefer to have children in the Year of Monkey. Couple that with an end of the infamous One-Child policy, we are going to see a lot of birth and infant-related products do well. In the years to come, infant and child-related products from Australia will get a big boost in demand from China. As far as the Chinese economy is concerned, I generally see a bottom. The most important indicators such as the property index, retail sales and producer price index are beginning to stabilise. Manufacturing is still lagging, but that sector-slowdown is expected to last longer. Another important factor is energy price. With a potential bottom in energy price, this provides a floor for deflation. Overcapacity in secondary industries continues to be an issue. However, with increasing demand (property index now back into positive growth, to lead real industry demand), a stronger consumer sector and fiscal/monetary supports, we are beginning to see a light in the tunnel. VRL regains short-term strength I had Village Roadshow Ltd [ASX:VRL] on my actively-traded portfolio a few weeks ago. I sold it and now I am buying it back. The stock is restarting to produce some strength in its momentum. Although it is not one of the top-performers and I may not keep it for very long, there could be some trading opportunities in the short term. Today was an example, while the market pulled back, VRL managed to generate a relatively strong gain for the day. Ken Wangdong+ Emerging Market Analyst, New Frontier Investor Woodside Petroleum [ASX:WPL] is up for the start of 2016. Thats right, Australia largest producer of oil and gas is already yielding returns for shareholders. Woodside Petroleum [ASX:WPL] is up for the start of 2016. Thats right, Australia largest producer of oil and gas is already yielding returns for shareholders. Shares jumped 2.92% this morning to a high of $29.59. Ok, so shares havent skyrocketed but analysts were predicting further declines in commodities. Thus companies dependent upon commodities, like Woodside, should be declining. So what made shares jump? Source: Google finance Woodsides new discovery could mean big bucks Woodside has been drilling off the shore of Myanmar, west of Thailand, since 2012. Today Woodside announced that their efforts have finally paid off. They found gas. Along with a consortium, Woodside has explored six different areas within the Myanmar region. The drilling efforts have found gas 129 metres deep. The reports are promising to start commercial production. But further analysis will be undertaken to understand the full potential of the play, but this de-risks a number of leads which will now be matured, said Woodside CEO, Peter Coleman. Even if the gas found is not enough to fuel Woodside wildest dreams, the discovery is still promising. This discovery is an encouraging outcome for future exploration and appraisal activity in the area, Mr Coleman said. And I couldnt have said it better. Myanmar is one of the worlds greatest spots for exploration right now. Political reforms in 2011 allowed international companies to re-enter the market. This gave drilling explorers the green light. But wait, isnt oil and gas going down in price? Why is it good news that Woodside has found more of a declining commodity? It seems that prices arent at dire levels. Margins are being squeezed and profits are being hit. Yet companies like Woodside cant bear to leave money in the ground. And obviously investors approve. Myanmar holds an estimated 3.2 billion barrels of oil and 18 trillion cubic feet of gas. So Woodsides future may be a prosperous one even if oil and gas prices are declining. What to do about Woodside shares If Woodside can manage to obtain sustainable gas production from the Myanmar region then shareholders might be able to regain losses sustained from late last year. As long as oil gas prices dont fall too aggressively, Woodside could be a smart play for 2016. Timing, however, is important. Share prices are trading around 23% lower than the start of last year. And they could continue to decline. Harje Ronngard, Junior Analyst, Money Morning A strong earthquake hit India's remote northeast region before dawn Monday, killing at least eight people, injuring more than 100 and causing damage to several buildings. The death and injuries were caused by falling debris. Manipur state's Home Minister G. Gaikhangam said several parts of the state suffered extensive damage. He said the state capital of Imphal was hit hard but did not give any details. Authorities were still assessing the situation, he told reporters. Three people were killed in Imphal and the other five were killed in other parts of the state, said police officer A.K. Jalajit. Media reports said five people were killed by the earthquake in neighboring Bangladesh, but there was no immediate official confirmation. The 6.7-magnitude tremor left large cracks in walls, and a portion of a popular market building collapsed in Imphal. The area is dotted with small houses, with few tall buildings in the region. Police said that one of those few, a newly constructed six-story building in Imphal, collapsed. A bridge also was damaged on the outskirts of the city. India's Meteorological Department said the epicenter of the quake was in the Tamenglong region of Manipur. It struck 10 miles below the surface, not far from the border with Myanmar, 20 miles northwest of Imphal. The area is remote, with poor cellphone and Internet connections, and information about conditions outside major cities may take time to emerge. Police officer L. Ragui said that dozens of homes were slightly damaged in Tamenglong. Shangthon Kamei, a teacher in Tamenglong, said the earthquake rattled buildings. "It lasted for about one minute. We were sleeping and were woken up by the earthquake," he said. Telephone and electricity connections were disrupted in some areas. Nearly 90 members of the National Disaster Response Force, a specialized federal force for natural disasters, have left to check on remote areas, police said. People panicked and rushed out of their homes in Guwahati, the capital of neighboring Assam state, as they felt massive shaking at least twice within 60 seconds. In Imphal, residents said furniture was knocked over, and books fell off shelves. "The ground swayed for almost a minute, jolting people awake in their homes," said one resident, Apem Arthur. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was in touch with authorities in the northeast. Rescue teams from Guwahati were scrambling to reach Imphal. People in Bangladesh and the Himalayan nation of Nepal ran from their homes, and the quake was also felt as far away as the Myanmar city of Yangon, about 730 miles to the south, residents said. Media in Bangladesh reported three people died of heart attacks, and police said at least 90 were injured. An official at Myanmar's meteorological department in Naypyitaw, the capital, said there were no reports of damage or casualties on the Myanmar side of the border. Wire services January 04, 2016 The Saudi War On Everything Iran May Bounce Back As New Houthi Missile I still believe that, from the Saudi rulers viewpoint, the execution of a bunch of al-Qaeda types and the Saudi Shia rabble-rouser Nimr Baqr al-Nimr was a smart move to divert the attention of their people from the accumulating problems of their rulers and the recent 40% gas price hike. But it comes with now escalating costs. The biggest danger to the al-Saud family which dictatorial rules over Saudi Arabia is the proven validity of an alternative Islamic system. The Islamic Republic of Iran has such an alternative system and its reintegration into the world after the nuclear deal shows its validity. Some people and Islamic scholars in Saudi Arabia might get the idea that they also could also have a system where every vote counts and policies are decided at the ballot box. This without a kleptocratic, dictatorial family and, importantly, without doing away with their core Islamic values. This, not religion, is why the Saudis have fought Iran since its revolution in 1979 and why they try to curb its influence wherever they can. The al-Sauds fear for their family and its sinecures. The Saudis, together with Israel, tried everything to sabotage the nuclear deal. They want Iran back in the isolation box. But it is now too late. I have not read one piece in "western" media today that was negative on Iran and/or positive on Saudi Arabia. The wind of international politics has changed and it is now Saudi Arabia that comes under pressure. The impulsive reaction of the current Saudi rulers is to escalate and escalate even more and to fight Iran wherever it is present, like in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, or even where it is not present like in Yemen. While the Saudis claim that Iran supports the Houthis in Yemen there is not the slightest proof for that assertion. There have been no Iranians found in Yemen and no Iranian weapons. The Houthis the Saudis fight in Yemen are not Shia like the Iranians but are nearer to Sunni Islam than to Iranian 12er Shia. There has been no evidence that Houthis have received anything from Iran and all stories about Iranian weapon shipment to Yemen turned out to be false. This is now likely to change. After the killing of al-Nimr some Iranian hardliners organized a mob that stormed and ransacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran. This was an attack on what they see as appeasement policies of the Iranian President Rouhani. It was stupid of the Rouhani administration to not have foreseen such a move and increase protection for the embassy. It is now bending over backwards to apologize for the incident but to no avail. The Saudis cut diplomatic relations to Iran and pressed Bahrain and Sudan to do the same. The Bahraini rulers need Saudi protection and Sudan the Saudi money. The UAE only lowered its diplomatic presence in Tehran from ambassador to charge d'affaires. Interestingly the other Gulf countries did not follow the Saudi decision. The Saudis also stopped all civil flights between Iran and Saudi Arabia and forbid their citizens to visit Iran. Business between the countries will be stopped. Iranians on pilgrimage to Mecca are still welcome. It is unclear what this is supposed to achieve. What could Iran reasonably do that would let the Saudi rulers retract these measures without losing face? This was another impulsive and erratic move that only hurts the Saudis people and the ruling family's international reputation. More dumb moves are expected. The Saudis will likely up their proxy fight against Iran in Syria and possibly also in Iraq by giving more weapons and financial support to Jihadists of all strife. A new government in Lebanon, on which Iran and Saudi Arabia had recently agreed, is now again far away. The Saudis will also try to escalate the fight against the Houthis and their imaginary Iranian support in Yemen. But after nine month of bombing Yemen's infrastructure to dust there is little to escalate. All ground attacks by the Saudis and their various hired proxies have been fought to a standstill. This then is the place where Iran can escalate in response. It has the technology and know how to hand the Houthis some serious missile capabilities. Such missiles would allow them to achieve pinpoint hits on Saudi targets. The whole southern Saudi Arabia would then become a Houthi shooting range. Saudi Arabia would have to file for peace or would have to evacuate significant parts of the country. The al-Nimr execution and the diversion of the Saudi public to strife with Iran will help the Saudi rulers to calm down internal disturbances. But the escalation comes at significant international political costs and may end up, via Houthi missiles, to increase the internal problems the Saudis are so keen to avert in the first place. Posted by b on January 4, 2016 at 18:48 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Grace Episcopal Church will host a forum on race relations on Jan. 22 and 23 called, Listen for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice. The forum will be live-streamed from Trinity Wall Street Episcopal Church in New York City to dozens of locations across 34 states and several provinces in Canada. It will feature twelve keynote speakers with backgrounds in academia, theology, media, grassroots activism and more. All have had a particular focus on race during their careers, according to a press release from Trinity Wall Street. The press release said that forum topics will provide life-giving conversations on the racial issues of our time, including structural racism, mass incarceration, and policy change, (for those) interested in a practical, theological perspective on racial equality. In addition to the live-stream, Grace Episcopal will offer attendees access to email questions to the speakers during live question and answer sessions. Those attending will also be invited to participate in small group discussions amongst themselves led by trained facilitators to reflect and share on what they hear in the forum. According to the forums website, www.ti2016.org, Trinity Wall Street has been offering this annual conference for the past 45 years on different topics affecting society. The website said the church leadership felt called to present conversation as a learning opportunity: a chance to engage in deep listening and truth-telling, and as a result, develop the skills to create change within a troubled system. Grace Episcopal Rector Marshall Jolly said he was inspired to have his church serve as a partner site after attending last years conference, which was on economic inequality. He said he appreciated how Trinity Wall Street brought together people from many different backgrounds to have a formative and educational experience dialoging about what can be a divisive issue. Im always looking for ways for our church to be a meeting place for people in the community of different perspectives to come together and imagine what the next steps could be to address these issues, Jolly said. Jolly said he thought this years topic on race relations was incredibly timely, citing recent events in the news. He anticipates that the forum will have a much-needed positive impact. My hope is that people will leave with a broader perspective of racial relations and reconciliation, and not give in to fear and some of the other unhelpful by-products that arise from misunderstandings and a lack of awareness, Jolly said. The forum at Grace Episcopal is free, though the church will accept donations. The sessions start Friday at 5 p.m., and continue all day Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m. The church will provide heavy hors doeuvres on Friday and a continental breakfast on Saturday. The church asks that those interested in attending RSVP by Jan. 15 by calling the church at 437-1133, or emailing them at office@gracemorganton.org. Tammie Gercken can be reached at tgercken@morganton.com. Barack Obamas presidency has been marked by heated debates about the Republican Partys racial attitudes. Many liberals have noted the dog whistles subtle cues that play on stereotypes and may trigger taboo sentiments employed in Republican attacks on the president. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, for instance, famously called Obama a food stamp president, former Sen. Rick Santorum accused him of giving welfare to blah people, and many conservatives have claimed Obama couldnt have been born in the United States. For the most part, the public abhors and condemns such blatant racism. But recent data on public sentiments suggest that many Americans hold beliefs affirming subtler, structural racism and that the popularity of these believes divides sharply along party and political lines. I began my examination of whether there is a partisan divide on racial issues with the American National Election Studies 2012 survey. The first set of questions I examined measures racial stereotyping, asking respondents whether they believe that black people are hard-working or lazy, intelligent or unintelligent and whether they have too much influence or too little influence in politics in other words, questions measuring explicitly racist attitudes. The second set of questions I examined measures what scholars call racial resentment. These questions measure perceptions of the persistence of racial inequality and discrimination by asking respondents whether they agree or disagree with these statements: Irish, Italians, Jewish and many other minorities overcame prejudice and worked their way up. Blacks should do the same without any special favors. Generations of slavery and discrimination have created conditions that make it difficult for blacks to work their way out of the lower class. Over the past few years, blacks have gotten less than they deserve. Its really a matter of some people not trying hard enough; if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites. I also looked at responses to the question How much discrimination do black people face?,as well as whether respondents support government assistance to African-Americans, including employment protections. This second group of questions examines issues related to colorblind racism. As sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva writes in Racism Without Racists, colorblind racism is racism lite, in which instead of proclaiming God placed minorities in the world in a servile position, it suggests they are behind because they do not work hard enough. Among non-Hispanic whites, there are strong and persistent gaps between Republicans and Democrats, with at least 22-point gaps in opinion on each issue I examined. The deepest divide is on whether blacks should work their way up, as Irish- and Italian-Americans supposedly did, which divided members of the two parties by 30 points. On racial stereotyping, the gaps are smaller, with only an 8-point gap in the share saying black people are unintelligent, but an 18-point gap in the share saying they are lazy. While only 7 percent of Democrats believe that blacks have too much influence over politics, 25 percent of Republicans do. With regard to the governments role in ameliorating racial inequality, the split was even larger, with 35-point gaps on whether the government should help blacks or blacks should help themselves, and on whether or not it is the governments job to ensure fair treatment in the workplace. Examining self-identified conservatives and liberals gives similar results, with gaps of 26 to 38 percentage points on issues related to colorblind racism, gaps averaging 17 points on the stereotyping questions and gaps averaging 40 points on questions about government aid. In a piece last year, journalists Nate Silver and Allison McCann investigated whether white Republicans were more racist than white Democrats. They focused on questions that examine racial stereotyping, such as whether blacks are lazier or less intelligent than whites and whether a white person would feel comfortable with a close family member marrying a black person. On many of these questions, partisan gaps have disappeared. However, on the question of whether blacks lack the motivation to pull themselves out of poverty, the partisan gap is large: In the 2012 survey, 57 percent of white Republicans and 41 percent of white Democrats agreed. In 2005, Republicans apologized for the post-1968 Southern strategy of targeting white voters with thinly veiled racial appeals. But a decade later, they havent stopped using it. This article is part of Morningstars Guide to Investing Ideas for 2016, click here to get your financial health in order with some new years resolutions for your portfolio. UK shares disappointed in 2015, with the FTSE 100 losing 5% of its value. The biggest losers were those linked to natural resources, as commodities underperformed all other asset classes for a third successive year and produced their lowest annual returns since the 2008 financial crisis. Oil, iron ore, copper, gold and corn all lost half their value last year, dragging down mining stocks. In fact the four biggest FTSE 100 losers of 2015 were Anglo American (AAL) which fell 70%, Glencore (GLEN) down 66%, Antofagasta (ANTO) which lost 36% and BHP Billiton (BLT) fell 35%. Rio Tinto (RIO) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) came in eighth and ninth place respectively, losing 23% and 22% over the year. And there is little respite in sight. Looking into 2016, not one of the leading commentators is bullish on commodities with most recommending underweight positions including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Citi, according to Andy Brunner, head of investment strategy for Morningstar UK. Liontrust Macro Equity Income fund manager Stephen Bailey says that while demand for commodities has weakened, the bigger problem is that the miners havent adjusted their output accordingly, meaning prices have tumbled. This has created a vicious circle where miners need to boost supply in order to maintain cash flow and dividends, only leading to further price falls, he said. The miners have also protected cash flows and dividends by slashing their investment in improving existing facilities or acquiring new sites. Bailey suggests mining companies should be taking a long-term approach and exploiting the temporary downturn to pick up undervalued assets from distressed sellers such as Glencore. However he concedes that this would mean they put long-term investor returns ahead of short-term dividends. What Next for the Oil Giants? Stephanie Flanders, JP Morgan economist, says that the fall in oil prices suggests that the UK stock market of 2016 may show a similar pattern to 2014 and 2015, with the index underperforming but large parts of the market doing quite well, especially sectors that are close to the domestic consumer. It is unusual for the consensus trade avoiding commodity stocks to deliver such a high degree of outperformance. Sooner or later the tide for commodities will turn and it will be more difficult for managers to beat the index, she said. Banks Lose Out in 2015 It was not just oil and mining stocks that were hammered in 2015. Banks took a battering as well. Standard Chartered (STAN) suffered from a heavy weighting in troubled China, losing 33%, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) fell 22% and HSBC (HSBA) shares lost 6%. Bailey said that regulatory pressures meant he held no UK large-cap high street banks in his fund, preferring to own a selection of smaller challenger banks. RBS revealed a bill of 967 million for litigation, misconduct and restructuring costs in the third quarter of 2015, while Standard Chartered confirmed rumours of a rights issue and cancelled its final dividend, he said. On a regulatory level, banks are being forced to increase their capital buffers, an expensive process. And on an operational level they are burdened by a creaking IT infrastructure and an outdated business model. About Me Andrew Mulenga Andrew Mulenga is a self-taught, freelance arts journalist whose main focus is documenting the contemporary art scene of his home country Zambia. He studied Art & Design at the Africa Literature Centre, Kitwe and began his career as a graphic designer and illustrator at Mission Press in Ndola. He later joined The Post Newspapers Ltd. in the same capacity working his way to an appointment as Deputy Editor of the Education Post while establishing himself as the publications resident art critic. He is the 2012 CNN Multi-choice African Journalist of the year for Art & Culture. In 2014 he received a Media Institute of Southern Africa award for arts journalism. He completed an MA Art History at Rhodes University on an Andrew Mellon scholarship in 2014. He is currently on an Art History and Visual Culture Scholarship for a PhD at the same university. Since 2012 his articles have been regularly adapted in the modules of the Zambian Open Universitys art curriculum. Through his writing as an emerging art historian his current ambition is to encourage Zambian artists to question the sociopolitical, cultural, historical, moral and aesthetic implications of the work they produce. View my complete profile Professional and community involvement: With a huge team of passionate people in Midland and around the U.S., I encourage 5- to 30-year-olds through Student Community Bible Study and SGY at Stonegate Fellowship. I also serve on teams and committees for Rock The Desert, Watch and Pray, PressOn Productions and China Aid. What does it mean to serve the community, and how do you do so? We were all designed by God to live in community we need others help, and they need our help. God gave each of us different gifts and talents that we are to work to develop. My greatest fulfillment in life comes as I serve in Midland, the USA and the world. The statement There is no I in team is true. What role does Community Bible Study play in strengthening the community? Community Bible Study in Midland is available to all babies, ladies, men, teens, young professionals and is led by a team of leaders who are passionate to be a friend to others and walk through life with them. I created three CBS programs After School Kids, teen, and Capstone, for young professionals that now exist all over the USA. Working with children, teenagers and young professionals on most every weeknight, I have seen amazing love and made lifetime relationships. I believe that as you have deep conversations about the important things of life centered on the truth of the Bible, the most unexpected things happen. Recently in After School Kids CBS, we were studying about Stephen when he was killed by people who did not believe in Jesus. Stephen's life taught those kids about heaven being a wonderful forever home for Christ followers and also forgiving those who hurt you and about religious persecution. A few days later, one of our ASK CBS children had his precious father suddenly go to be with Jesus in a plane crash. He was able to comfort himself and his mom because he had just learned about how Stephen looked up to heaven and saw a beautiful place. Death is not the end for a Christ follower, but rather an amazing new place to live with our amazing and loving God and his son, Jesus. The truth of the Bible can help us live encouraged each day in every situation. This lovely child has confidence that he will see his dad again because he knows where he is. Children need strength to overcome discouragement from bullying to divorce to school work issues to parents bad choices. How long has Midland been your home, and why have you stayed? My husband, Bobby, and I moved to Midland 39 years ago. He was an Air Force major in Alaska and is now an orthodontist who owns Smiles Inc. He loves helping generations of Midlanders have beautiful smiles. Moving to Midland has been a blessing times a million. I love working for awesome Midlanders as an interior designer through Janice Lane Henry Interiors and The ScreenDoor Showroom. I recently completed the Crownquest Operating offices for Bobby Floyd and Tim Dunn. Midlanders have allowed Bobby and me to serve them from their smiles to their homes and offices. Our hobby is visiting our married children, Kristen, Carrie and Blake, their stalwart spouses and our 10 kind and lovable grandchildren. Attending Stonegate Fellowship is where we have learned that God is committed to our great joy. Midland continues to be a big part of our joy, and we are forever thankful. We continue to PressOn. Fitness and music often go hand-in-hand and in 2016, the two will combine for an epic collaboration that will reach dozens of cities across the globe. The Ultimate 5K Running and Music Festival, The Music Run, will hit 40 cities in over 18 countries over the course of the year. The Music Run is powered by 24 Hour Fitness and will kick off its national debut at the LA Fairplex in Pomona on Saturday, January 9. The race may be one of the most fun ways to stay fit in the New Year, as each race event includes an after party packed with live music from bands and DJs. Sebu from the indie-pop duo, Capital Cities, will perform a DJ set at the kick-off race in Los Angeles, and the indie-folk band, Magic Giant, is set to perform as well. (Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch) Through a music voting app and Spotify, The Music Run allows runners to select the soundtrack of the race by voting for their favorite songs prior to the event. The songs with the most votes become the official run playlist, which will be played out on the race course through 120 speakers on the day of the event. The run will end with the ultimate after-run music festival that features live bands, DJs, dancers, laser lights, LED screens, chill out zones and more. Other dates scheduled for the event include Austin on February 6 and Dallas on March 12, with many more dates to follow. Although 2016 will push the The Music Run into significant territory, it first kicked off with an event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2014. As it stands, the event has already been experienced by more than 100,000 participants across 12 events and 9 countries from Singapore to Hamburg. Participants can register for the event, which starts at $30, by visiting TheMusicRun.com. Both Sebu from Capital Cities and Magic Giant are Los Angeles-natives. Capital Cities got their start in 2011 after independently releasing their first EP. After a quick discovery on a Peru radio station, the duo's hit song, "Safe and Sound," went multi-platinum in numerous countries including the U.S., Canada, Germany and Mexico. The track hit the No. 8 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and the group opened up for Katy Perry on her Prismatic Tour in 2014. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The center of the Traditional Anglican Communion; adhering to the Holy Bible (KJV) in all matters of Faith and Doctrine, a strict reliance on the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion, The two Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, the Two Creeds, and the Homilies and formularies of the Reformation Church of England. Tensions have escalated drastically between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an outspoken Shiite cleric. Nimr, who was seen as a moderate, nonviolent voice of protest against the Saudi regime, was a leader in Shiite demonstrations throughout the Sunni majority nation. His execution prompted protests and the burning of the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Saudi Arabia would "face divine vengeance for the execution" of Nimr. Saudi Arabia responded, saying Iran had "revealed its true face represented in support for terrorism." This led the Saudis to cut ties with Iran, saying officials had 48 hours to leave the country. The move signals a nadir in relations between the two regional powers, and raises the specter of sectarian conflict in the two nations. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jebier announced the decision at a televised news conference. According to the New York Times, Mr. Jebeir said this was a matter of Saudi Arabia's security, which the kingdom could not let Iran undermine. The two countries are considered regional powers, and have tried to sway the turn of events in conflicts throughout the region. They are currently engaged in a proxy war in Yemen where the Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, overthrew the Sunni government. Criticism for the execution of Nimr came almost entirely from Shiite factions throughout the region. In contrast, Saudi's Sunni allies supported the kingdom's actions, and referred to the execution as an effort to fight terrorism. Along with Nimr, the Saudis executed 46 others for crimes against the state. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon ,said he was "deeply dismayed" by the execution. He criticized the Saudi justice system, saying that "trials ... raised serious concerns over the nature of the charges and the fairness of the process." 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An armed antigovernment group took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge building, operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The group blocked entrances and built a bonfire in front of the building, saying Sunday it was willing to stay "for years." Leading the group is Ammon Bundy, son of Cliven Bundy, who recently had a standoff with the government over his use of federal lands for cattle grazing. Bundy, accompanied by his brother and others, said the group will not leave until the people of Harney County "can use these lands as free men." "We're out here because the people have been abused long enough really," Bundy said in a video posted on Facebook. "Their lands and their resources have been taken from them to the point where it's putting them literally in poverty, and this facility has been a tool in doing that. It is the people's facility, owned by the people." Dwight Hammond, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46, were convicted of arson on federal land after a judge ruled the sentences they had previously served were not long enough. More than 100 people marched through Burns, Oregon, in a peaceful protest that eventually turned violent. When the militants arrived at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, they quickly took over the federal building and blocked its entrances. In response to the conviction, Bundy said, "The people cannot survive without their land and resources. We cannot have the government restricting the use of that to the point that it puts us in poverty." According to the New York Times, the Fish and Wildlife Service said no employees were hurt in the standoff. "While the situation is ongoing, the main concern is employee safety and we can confirm that no federal staff were in the building at the time of the initial incident," a press officer for the agency said. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Recently, Donald Trump called for a halt on Muslim immigrants to the United States until our leaders could "figure what the hell is going on." The announcement, along with other incendiary comments of Trump's, has earned the real estate quite a bit of criticism. Many have criticized Trump for his apparent intolerance, and insensitivity. Now, adding to the list of Trump's opponents is the United Kingdom, which recently publicized a petition barring Trump from entering the country. Although the British government has not committed to disallowing the Republican front-runner from the country, Home Secretary Theresa May left the option open. In an official statement released by the UK government, Theresa's power to, "exclude a non-European Economic Area national from the UK if she considers their presence in the UK to be non-conducive to the public good," was reaffirmed. According to CNN, "the Home Secretary has said that coming to the UK is a privilege and not a right," the official statement reads. "She will continue to use the powers available to prevent from entering the UK those who seek to harm our society and who do not share our basic values." The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has made his distaste for Trump no secret. Cameron apparently told Parliament that Trump was "stupid" and "three times a loser." "The Prime Minister has made clear that he completely disagrees with Donald Trump's remarks," the statement continued. "The Home Secretary has said that Donald Trump's remarks in relation to Muslims are divisive, unhelpful and wrong ... We reject any attempts to create division and marginalisation amongst those we endeavour to protect." Although Trump's comments have won him domestic popularity, he has earned the ire of public officials around the world for his remarks about Muslims, illegal immigrants, etc. Trump has made no effort to distance himself from these statements. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The gloves are coming off in the Republican race for the 2016 presidential nomination. While Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have been dominating polls in Iowa, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and Chris Christie (among others) will try to inch into third place by attacking their nearest rivals. Although the race has already been mired in vitriol, with character assassinations and insults coming from all directions, it appears voters will see an entirely new side of the candidates as they aggressively try to discredit their competitors. As the new year begins, the mud slinging that often remains dormant until the South Carolina primaries has seeped up to the surface. According to the New York Times, the campaigns of Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee are prepared to release an onslaught of attack ads in the weeks before the February 1st caucus. "You're going to see even sharper elbows" starting this week, said Jon Seaton, a Republican strategist with no allegiance to any campaign. "And by the middle of January, everybody will have their pads on and helmets buckled." Although lobbing insults and epithets has worked for Republican front-runner Donald Trump, the tactic has proved more elusive for former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Bush spent a large sum of money on negative ads in Iowa, attacking Marco Rubio for his time in the Senate, Chris Christie for his governance of New Jersey, and John Kasich's record in Ohio. Apparently, these tactics have been more successful than Bush's recent criticism of Donald Trump. "That's part of the reason why you saw Bush and Christie go after Rubio," said Carl Forti, a Republican strategist not affiliated with any of the campaigns. "They don't gain much from hitting Trump at this point. Cruz is the one who immediately benefits from a Trump downfall." 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Steven Moffat, head writer and executive producer of Doctor Who, is allegedly thinking of leaving his showrunner position at the hit BBC series. According to reports, Moffat is "actively engaged" in finding a replacement for himself, but isn't exactly in a hurry to leave just yet. Will the upcoming, 2016 season 10 episodes end up being his last? Check out what Moffat recently revealed in a new interview. You can check out more buzzing news coverage from Music Times right here! Rebooted by Russell T. Davies in 2005, Moffat's been in charge of the series since 2010. While Davies wrote for Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant during their reigns as the Doctor, Moffat has also worked with two leads- Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi. So, will he follow in his predecessor's footsteps and step down when Capaldi leaves? If so, season 10 could be his last since, as we previously reported, Capaldi hinted that he might leave after 2016. Radio Times, which is a superb source for all things Doctor Who, sat down with the Sherlock co-creator to talk about his successful run as showrunner of the Time-Lord series, and asked if he's thinking of leaving the series. "That is an issue and one I'm actively engaged in but I can't say much about that. Everything is difficult in Doctor Who, including leaving, and I would never do anything to harm it. I would never leave it in the lurch because it means too much to me," he explained, according to Den of Geek. "Yes, it's a problem. Let's not pretend it's not a big problem. But there will be a solution. In terms of the emotional difficulty of leaving, it's hard ... I take it a year at a time and that's the only answer I'll ever give on that one. How hard [will it be to give up], I don't know ... I won't be leaving because I'm suddenly miserable. It'll be because I want to do something else." He continued, "I've no idea until I'm there. I mean, I can understand Russell [T Davies choosing not to]. I'm gobsmacked by how much Doctor Who I've written - an insane amount." 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Please enable JavaScript to experience the functionality of this website. - MWEB Our money has been depleted by ... Sacramento, CA Outgoing Assembly Republican leader Kristin Olsen will soon be leaving public officeat least over the short-term. Olsen, who represented the Mother Lode prior to redistricting, will be terming out of the Assembly later this year. She had been giving strong consideration to a 2016 state Senate run against Democratic incumbent Cathleen Galgiani in District Five. The seat encompasses parts of several Central Valley communities, including Modesto and Stockton. This afternoon, however, Olsen sent a letter to supporters that she is declining the opportunity to run. She writes, After dozens of meetings, I am convinced that the funding and support needed to win exist. Nevertheless, after much reflection, I have decided not to run. Olsen notes that the biggest factor in the decision is her family. She adds, Next year, our three children will be in high school, middle school and elementary school. In addition to their schooling, they are involved in numerous extra-curricular activities. Simply put, I want to be more active in their daily lives. Olsens letter sent to supporters indicates that leaving public office is only short-term. She notes, I anticipate that I will return to public service when the time is right. She did not specifically detail what her longer-term plans could be, but Olsens announcement was sent from an e-mail account that read, Paid for by Olsen For Senate 2018. As previously reported by Clarke Broadcasting, last year Olsen filed a Statement of Intent to run for Senator Tom Berryhills District 8 seat when he terms out of office in two years. Not running against Galgiani in District Five would leave the door open to that possibility. Filing the statement of intent allows candidates to begin the process of raising money for a political run. There are more than 10,000 rape kits that have gone untested in the state, according to survey numbers released Monday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The agency released its results and found there are 13,435 unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits held in local law enforcement evidence rooms statewide. The FDLE said at least 9,484 of those kits "should be submitted" for testing. In August 2015, in cooperation with the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Police Chiefs Association, FDLE developed and launched a survey of Florida's sheriff and police agencies to determine the number of unsubmitted SAKs and the reasons the kits had not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing. The term rape kit (or SAKs) actually refers to the kit itself a container that includes a checklist, materials, and instructions, along with envelopes and containers to package any specimens collected during the exam to maintain evidence. State law enforcement agencies are expected to use more than $3 million in federal money to get the kits tested. The testing helps identify suspects' DNA, which is then put on file in the state's criminal database. Each law enforcement agency in Florida will have to apply for funds to pay for rape kits that meet the state's criteria. Pasco County has about 200 rape kits that should be submitted to FDLE for testing, the most in the Bay area. The Orlando Police Department has 375 kits that should be submitted, the most in Central Florida. "I am pleased FDLE completed its assessment, providing more information about unprocessed sexual assault kits in Florida," Attorney General Pam Bondi said Monday. "Testing these kits is a public safety issue that must be addressed; and in this upcoming legislative session, I will work with lawmakers, law enforcement and victims advocates to ensure our state crime labs have the resources needed to continue testing unprocessed sexual assault kits." The Manatee County Sheriff's Office has 90 untested kits. Tampa police has 11 that need testing. The Miami-Dade Police Department tops the list with 1,350 untested kits. Bondi said there's a number of reasons why some rape kits go untested. "Frankly, if we don't have a victim, if a defendant confesses right away and enters a plea," Bondi said. "Technology has changed so much and some of these rape kits that may not have produced results years ago ... now can." Rape kit testing backlogs has been an issue across the U.S. In September, federal officials said an estimated 70,000 rape kits in laboratories and evidence collection rooms across the country will be tested with a combined $79 million in federal and New York City funds designed to cut the backlog. More than 20 years ago when Joseph Raymond was born prematurely, the future looked bleak. Little Raymond suffered both brain damage and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. "For the first four years, we struggled to find out basic questions," said Joseph's father, Joe. A new father at the time, Joe remembers asking the tough questions that seemed to never have an answer. "What can we expect from Joseph? What is he going to do? What's the path that he needs to go down?" Joe pondered more than two decades ago. Joe and his wife, Vicky, found little to no help until Vicky's parents introduced them to a unique program from Europe. They found help in Hungary. The assistance proved so beneficial that the couple brought teachers to Florida and eventually opened the Conductive Education Center of Orlando (CECO). "There's three main components," Joe says of CECO. "One is the physical, second is the cognitive, and the third is the social. And if you don't focus on all three in trying to better the child and maximize their potential, then it's going to leave a gap and they're never really going to meet that potential." The program began as a summer program, helping out six children. Today, CECO has grown to help 50 children a week. In a world where everything is done for constant reinforcement, no accomplishment is too small. "To many, it looks like he doesn't do a lot, but he does," Vicky Raymond says. She is quick to point out the victories: "He truly does a lot. He's healthy, he's happy, he's active." Now based inside a 5,000-square-foot facility, the Raymonds are thinking big. Eventually, they would like to take over an entire complex in Winter Park. The grounds would then employ the people who CECO helps. CECO offers school programs for students ages 5 to 21. Classes for adults with traumatic brain injuries, those battling Parkinsons and stroke victims are in the works. "Every child has a chance here, an opportunity to grow. And if Joseph's growth means he's picking up this ball and he's saying, 'Dad,' then that's growth for him, and we will take that," Vicky says. The Titusville Police Department is looking for a man who they say used a machete to vandalize a mosque. Investigators say surveillance footage shows an unidentified male entering The Islamic Society of Central Florida Masjid Al-Munin Mosque, 1011 South Washington Ave., around 11 p.m. Friday. In the video, police say the suspect is seen pulling a machete from a bag and then using it to cause damage to the mosque. Police said several cameras, lights and windows were broken and bacon was also left by the front door of the mosque. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, prohibits Muslims from eating pork. Titusville Police detectives said they are analyzing the surveillance footage as well as investigating strong leads. Anyone with information is asked to call the Titusville Police Department at (321) 264-7800 or can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward by calling Crimeline at (800) 423-TIPS (8477). The Orlando Regional Coordinator for CAIR, Rasha Mubarak, released this statement to News 13: We are calling for a local, state and federal hate crime investigation of the vandalism and attempted desecration of this Titusville mosque the latest such incident in a recent spike in attacks on Muslim houses of worship nationwide. A similar crime happened in Las Vegas last week. The FBI said on Dec. 27, a man can be seen in a surveillance video putting bacon on the door handles to the entrances of the Masjid-e-Tawheed mosque. Earlier in December, a severed pig's head was found outside a Philadelphia worship site. Town leaders have hired a wildlife trapper after recent sightings of coyotes have residents fearing for their pets' safety. "We are aware of it. They've been sighted," Indian Harbour Beach City Manager Mark Ryan said. Officials want pet owners to keep a lookout for coyotes around Gleason Park, a quaint, natural setting where residents jog and stroll -- but it's also a haven for feral cats, a potential ready meal for the wild canines that have set up shop in the woods. Scott Fee, whose yard backs up to Gleason Park, looked forward to seeing his cat when his family woke up each day. "Usually, she's waiting on the back porch every morning," Fee said. But New Year's Day Ni-kitty, short for 'Nice Kitty' was nowhere to be found. Not long after, Scott's wife, Tammy, noticed an unfamiliar paw print in the grass of their house. "We started going over videotape because of rumors of coyotes in the area," Scott Fee said. The Fees have home security cameras positioned around the exterior of the home. At about 6 that morning, surveillance video shed light on their cat's disappearance. The video shows their cat darting into the picture frame and steps behind, a coyote hot on its tail. Another camera showed the predator walking in the street, then moving into their yard. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials told the Fees that the wild animals can be found in all 67 Florida counties, are very smart and difficult to catch. "FWC has said, 'Good luck with that.' That's why they don't do it," Ryan, the city manager, said. Wildlife officials told the city it's best to adapt to life among coyotes, as Floridians do with alligators, bears, snakes and other native animals. It's not much solace for Fee and his family, who are still hoping their cat got away. "Everyday goes by, and we have a little less hope," Scott Fee said. Both Indian Harbour Beach and Satellite Beach are about to launch a 'lost pets' program, because on average, some 40-50 pets are reported lost or found each month. A new billboard asks for help to find Bunnell father missing since May 2015. This will be a constant reminder: there is a person in our community that's missing and there's a family without a father, Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre said. The billboard showing George Contos, 59, sits along North Ocean Shore Boulevard. May 7 was the last time anyone heard from or saw Contos. About 10 days later deputies showed up to his home, but there was still no sign of Contos. After he disappeared, deputies said they found his white town car in the Ace Hardware parking lot on Palm Coast Parkway. Deputies said they found some evidence in the car but right now they cant share what they found. The do believe Contos disappearance is suspicious. There was no body that's been found. For that reason we like to stay optimistic, said Det. Commander Chris Sepe. Contos son lives out of state but shared a message with the sheriffs office before the billboard was unveiled. I just hope that this billboard makes more people aware in Florida of my fathers disappearance. Hopefully it can bring somebody with information in to try to help us find my father, said Aaron Thayer. Months have passed and not only did Contos miss the holidays with his family, but Monday Jan. 4 was his 59th birthday. All of our information has sort of stopped, Manfre said. Deputies have followed up on leads, interviewed family members and acquaintances. The one gift everyone is hoping for is to bring him home. We believe someone out there knows a crucial piece of information that will lead us to what happened to George, Manfre said. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Contos return. That number to call is 1-888-277-TIPS (8477). A Volusia County leader wants to decriminalize marijuana possession in the county. Councilman Josh Wagner proposed the ordinance during the council's previous meeting Dec. 17, where it was well received by other councilmembers. Under current state law, possession of pot is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and jail time. But under the county ordinance backed by Wagner, a police officer could determine whether a person with less than 20 grams of pot would face a civil penalty with a fine of up to $250. Wagner says if passed, the ordinance would have a direct impact on county courts and jails. It comes at a time when there is yet another push to pass the legalization of marijuana in Florida. It's something 41-year-old Micah Gussow and his friends are excited about. He said he doesn't smoke pot right now and hasn't since he was a kid. However, he thinks he might start smoking again if Wagner's proposed ordinance passes. "This ordinance for the possession under 20 is for everybody," Wagner said. Asked whether he thinks marijuana should be legalized, Wagner responded, "Personally yes. I think the war on drugs is a complete failure." If it passes, it would affect primarily medicinal marijuana. Councilmembers will discuss the proposed ordinance again during their upcoming meeting Jan. 7 and decide whether the ordinance can become county law. Two houses owned by former Enron chief Kenneth Lay and his wife remain on the market after a prospective buyer backed out of a deal to buy one of the properties. The Lays' 14,179-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bathroom house in the Oklahoma Flats neighborhood went under contract in the spring. "The purchaser ended up just not wanting to move forward," said Joshua Saslove, the listing agent for the Lays' properties. Saslove said he did not know why the buyer decided to withdraw the offer, or whether it was for personal or financial reasons. The house, which the Lays bought for $4.8 million, is listed for $6.2 million, Saslove said. The Lays also are selling another home for $6.2 million. Both are furnished. The couple has already unloaded their Shady Lane cottage, built in 1959, for $10 million, as well as their undeveloped Red Mountain lot for $2 million. Kenneth and Linda Lay began selling off their properties in the exclusive resort town after the collapse of the Houston-based energy giant late last year. Saslove said the Lays' remaining properties are attracting interest and that family members have been staying at the houses periodically. The $10 million cottage was bought by Bradley P. Bell, producer of the soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful." Carol S. Parks, who bought the Red Mountain lot, is a taxi-company magnate from Boston. For Steve Modrak of Denver, Colo., his current journey of 2,300 miles to Fayetteville, N.C., began with a few taps of his red-tipped white cane before that first step on Memorial Day. Thats because 45-year-old Modrak is blind and hes taking his solo trip across the heart of America for the vets. Im doing it to raise awareness for all veterans and particularly those who are disabled. Of the 3.4 million veterans now living in the United States, 1.2 million are below the poverty level, Modrak explains. And 800,000 are jobless. And the most shocking statistic is that 46 percent of our veterans coming home since 9/11 are disabled. The sad fact is that these injured veterans are not getting the help they need. In most cases, they have to wait in line for as long as five years for treatment and rehabilitation. Modrak didnt serve in the military himself. I couldnt because of a bad back. But sometimes it takes a non-veteran to explain whats happening to our disabled vets. As a way of expressing his admiration for all who served, Modrak habitually uses the phrase, I blame those vets for our freedom. Modrak has been blind for 4 years, since an accidental gunshot wound. I was cleaning my gun and didnt check the chamber before I stopped to answer the phone, he says as he points to the scar on his forehead. Now living on Social Security disability, Modrak is making is solitary trek to raise awareness and money for veteran causes. Im doing all this on my own dime, he said. When people stop and ask, I encourage them to give their money to the veterans instead of me. He does accept rides along the way, as well as occasional meals and lodging. One of those rides came from Clifford Davis of Plainview, who drove to Stratford on Friday to bring Modrak to Plainview for a multi-day stopover. Their friendship goes back a number years, to when Davis worked at Lubbock Power and Light. Modrak was employed by the Colorado monitoring lab that serviced the LP&L systems in Davis department. He can still repair an analyzer, as long as he is using somebody elses eyes, Davis explained. Aside from the occasional ride, Modrak is traveling on foot, carrying only his cell phone, GPS, white cane and a 70-pound pack. Of course I packed way too many clothes and not nearly enough food and water. While walking along the highway, Modrak says he tries to keep as far off the shoulder as possible as he uses his cane to check for obstructions. When he encounters a guardrail, Modrak taps the cane until he finds the white line on the edge of the traffic lane. He then stops and listens for traffic. If its clear, I toddle across as fast as I can. As a safety measure, Modrak has a flashing light strapped to his backpack and wears a head lamp attached to his hat when hes traveling after dark. He has had many interesting encounters during the first 2 1/2 weeks of his trip. I was tottering down the road, headed to the last pull-off park on Highway 287 before hitting the Texas border when I heard a diesel engine idling behind me, he recalled. It was some highway department guys. They asked if I was lost, and I told them, Not yet. They ended up giving him a ride to Stratford, dropping him off at the Stratford Inn. I have found many kind people all the way down here, Modrak said. On one particularly hot afternoon, a Texan stopped and give him a cold can of ice tea. At Fountain, Colo., Modrak found overnight lodging in a farm workshop on a stormy night. In Pueblo, Colo., a woman drove many miles out of her way to take him to Highway 50. And a band is holding a benefit concert in his name for disabled veterans. At Campo, Okla., he found overnight lodging with a man named Jess. The next day Modrak was six miles down the road when the local sheriff found him and brought him back to Campo for a second night. Jess had become concerned because a severe thunderstorm was on the way. Although Modrak is making a solitary trek, he is not traveling alone. I have a talking GPS I call Howell. It plays music, has books on tape and is a note-taking recorder. And he routinely updates his Facebook page, Steve the blind guy who cares with his smart phone. Two friends, Donna and Cindy, are keeping track of me at Central Command and Mission Control, he said. Also monitoring his journey are his three siblings Vicki, Cathy and David. From Plainview, Im heading to Tulsa to see my brother and meet some high school buds. Then Im headed to Memphis, Tenn., to see my oldest sister, and finally to Fayetteville and my other sister and her husband. He just retired as an Army Ranger. In honor of that brother-in-law and other servicemen and women, Modrak wears a Ranger pin and various military patches on his hat. I figure that if I stay on this path, the entire trip will take about four months. That will put me into Fayetteville by the middle to end of September. Eventually Modrak hopes to walk all the way to the Florida Keys, and perhaps catch a boat to another country. Ive always been a little off kilter and an adrenaline junkie, he said. Im a skydiver and a motorcycle rider, but not a bungee jumper. With a parachute youve got two chances, but theres no backup chute with a bungee. Before he lost his sight, Modraks profession often had him climbing smoke stacks that were from 150 to 1,000 feet tall. He became an advocate for veterans causes during a motorcycle ride before his injury. I took a long ride to visit one of the traveling Vietnam Wall memorials, he explained. And I saw a big, burly biker break down when he found his buddys name. He told me the story of how he died, and that started the wheels turning. Veterans and the disabled are not his only causes. Modrak is letting his hair grow during his trek, so he can donate it at the end his journey to Locks of Love which makes wigs for cancer victims. To comment: dmcdonough@hearstnp.com 806.296.1353 Well, I am starting a Wall of Shame for people who show that they have no clue about plants in general. I will be totally fair and I'm not going to expect ... 12 years ago KINCAID, Ill. Sharon Stivers mustered a smile as a visitor walked into her muddy yard. Welcome to my flood sale, Stivers joked, nodding to a tall stack of water-soaked furniture, appliances and belongings pulled from her home and piled high by the road in the flat central Illinois town of Kincaid. You can have the whole thing for 50 cents. The Mississippi River and most other waterways in Missouri and Illinois flooded last week after 10-14 inches of rain fell over a wide swath of the two states. The water receded in most places Sunday but continued to rise in a few. Cleanup and damage assessment was only beginning, and could take weeks. Twenty-five deaths in the two states were blamed on flooding, nearly all of them the result of vehicles driving over flooded roadways. The death toll rose Sunday when the body of a second teenager missing for several days was found near Kincaid, a town of about 1,400 residents along the South Fork Sangamon River near Springfield. The Mississippi River was receding except in the far southern tip of both states. After that, flooding is expected to worsen in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and other southern states, though the breadth of the flooding there isnt expected to match what happened in Missouri and Illinois. The Meramec River, the St. Louis-area tributary of the Mississippi that caused so much damage last week, already was below flood stage in the hard-hit Missouri towns of Pacific and Eureka and dropping elsewhere, just three days after reaching record levels. The worst was still to come along the Illinois River, where near-record crests are expected early this week in the Illinois towns of Beardstown, Meredosia and Valley City. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner toured flood-damaged homes in Kincaid and urged residents to be careful, noting the rare cold-weather flood carries its own burdens, including the prospect of hypothermia for those wading into water. Stivers and many of her neighbors spent Sunday removing ruined items from their homes and placing them along the street for trash crews to pick up. Stivers shares a home with a 45-year-old daughter battling breast cancer, along with a granddaughter and four dogs. Floodwaters got 4 feet into their home, located in an area where flood insurance wasnt available. I lost my home, Stivers said. My daughter has cancer and lost her home. Am I mad? When Im not crying I am. In Illinois St. Clair County near St. Louis, emergency management director Herb Simmons said damage assessment began Sunday after the Mississippi started to fall. Though water reached higher than 1993, this flood wasnt as bad, Simmons said. In 93 that water came up and stayed on the levees for several months, Simmons said. This flood came up quick and went down quick. St. Louis-area cleanup largely was focused around the Meramec. Two wastewater treatment plants were so damaged by the floodwaters that raw sewage spewed into the river. Hundreds of people who had been evacuated in the Missouri communities of Pacific, Eureka, Valley Park and Arnold were cleaning up the mess and filth left behind. In southeast Missouri, up to 30 homes and several businesses were damaged in Cape Girardeau, a community of nearly 40,000 residents that is mostly protected by a flood wall. The Mississippi peaked at 48.9 feet Friday night, four-tenths of a foot above the 1993 record, but short of the 50-foot mark projected. Nearby levee breaks and toppings in other places kept the crest down. Amtrak service between St. Louis and Kansas City was back in business on Sunday, four days after high water that reached the tracks at some locations forced the passenger service to be halted. Suhr reported from Kansas City, Mo. Associated Press Don Babwin contributed to this report from Chicago. TEHRAN, Iran Saudi Arabia has severed diplomatic ties with regional rival Iran following attacks on the kingdoms embassy and consulate in the Islamic Republic over the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the cut in relations late on Sunday and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home after an attack on the kingdoms embassy in Tehran and a consulate. The decision came after the mass execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others the largest carried out by Saudi Arabia in three and a half decades laid bare the sectarian divisions gripping the region. Shiite protesters took to the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan while Arab allies of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia quickly lined up behind the kingdom. The standoff illustrates the kingdoms new aggressiveness under King Salman. During his reign, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting Shiite rebels in Yemen and staunchly opposed regional Shiite power Iran, even as Tehran struck a nuclear deal with world powers. It also represents just the latest turmoil in the two countries long-rocky relationship, which saw diplomatic ties between them severed from 1988 to 1991. Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Saudi Arabia on Sunday of divine revenge over al-Nimrs death, while Riyadh accused Tehran of supporting terrorism in a war of words that threatened to escalate even as the U.S. and the European Union sought to calm the region. Al-Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh that the Iranian regime has a long record of violations of foreign diplomatic missions, dating back to the occupation of the U.S. Embassy in 1979, and such incidents constitute a flagrant violation of all international agreements, according to the official Saudi Press Agency. He said Irans hostile policy was aimed at destabilizing the regions security, accusing Tehran of smuggling weapons and explosives and planting terrorist cells in the kingdom and other countries in the region. He vowed that Saudi Arabia will not allow Iran to undermine our security. Al-Nimr was a central figure in Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabias Shiite minority until his arrest in 2012. He was convicted of terrorism charges but denied advocating violence. While the split between Sunnis and Shiites dates back to the early days of Islam and disagreements over the successor to the Prophet Muhammad, those divisions have only grown as they intertwine with regional politics, with both Iran and Saudi Arabia vying to be the Mideasts top power. Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorism in part because it backs Syrian rebel groups fighting to oust its embattled ally, President Bashar Assad. Riyadh points to Irans backing of the Lebanese Hezbollah and other Shiite militant groups in the region as a sign of its support for terrorism. Iran also has backed Shiite rebels in Yemen known as Houthis. In Tehran, a protest outside the Saudi Embassy early Sunday quickly grew violent as protesters threw stones and gasoline bombs at the embassy, setting part of the building ablaze, according to Gen. Hossein Sajedinia, the countrys top police official, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Forty people were arrested and investigators were pursuing other suspects, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi said, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani condemned Saudi Arabias execution of al-Nimr, but also branded those who attacked the Saudi Embassy as extremists. It is unjustifiable, he said in a statement. Another Saudi diplomatic mission also was attacked in Mashhad. Western powers sought to calm the tensions. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the Obama administration was aware of the Saudis severing of ties with Tehran. We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences and we will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions, Kirby said. Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by phone and urged Tehran to defuse the tensions and protect the Saudi diplomats, according to a statement. The disruption in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran may have implications for peace efforts in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and others spent significant time trying to bring the countries to the negotiating table and they both sat together at talks aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to the civil war. Last month, Saudi Arabia convened a meeting of Syrian opposition figures that was designed to create a delegation to attend peace talks with the Syrian government that are supposed to begin in mid-January. Across the region, demonstrators took to the streets Sunday in protest over the execution of al-Nimr. In Bahrain, police fired tear gas and birdshot at demonstrators on Sitra Island, south of the capital, Manama, wounding some. In al-Daih, west of the capital, Shiite protesters chanted against Saudi Arabias ruling Al Saud family, as well as against Bahrains ruling Al Khalifa family. In Beirut, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called al-Nimr the martyr, the holy warrior, while protests erupted from Turkey to India to Pakistan. Meanwhile, al-Nimrs family prepared for three days of mourning at a mosque in al-Awamiya village in the kingdoms al-Qatif region in predominantly Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia. The sheikhs brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, told The Associated Press that Saudi officials informed his family that the cleric had been buried in an undisclosed cemetery, a development that could lead to further protests. Early Monday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said a shooting targeting security forces in the village killed a man and wounded a child. It offered no motive for the attack. Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press Abdullah al-Shihri in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed to this report. The Business Side of Green Blog is where Peter Arpin gets to interact with the community on an ongoing basis. Here, Peter will share his thoughts and ideas when it comes to helping our community move towards a more sustainable future. Peter is also looking for your ideas and thoughts to promote and share through the Arpin Broadcast Network and its affiliates, Arpin Group, Arpin Van Lines and Arpin International Group. Jourdanton had the lowest crime rate among cities, towns and suburbs in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metropolitan area in 2014, according to the FBI. The town, home to about 4,175 residents that year, reported 10 crime incidents total for the entire year, according to the FBI's annual Uniform Crime Report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A former boot-camp instructor pleaded guilty Thursday to having illicit relationships with two women in technical training and received a 100-day jail sentence, but he'll stay in the Air Force. A military judge, Lt. Col. Matthew Van Dalen, found Staff Sgt. Christopher Jackson guilty of having sex with two women trainees and telling one to lie if investigators asked about them. Prosecutors sought a sentence of six months in jail and a bad-conduct discharge, while Jackson's defense attorney sought mercy, and a chance for him to remain in the Air Force. In addition to spending a little more than three months in jail, Jackson, 29, will do 30 days' hard labor at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, be reduced in rank to airman first class and forfeit $1,500 in pay.These are poor decisions that I made, and I'm ready to accept the consequences of my actions, Jackson, a 10-year veteran, said through tears during a lengthy statement. One of 30 basic training instructors at Lackland to be investigated for misconduct with 56 female recruits, Jackson initially faced 13 years' confinement in a general court-martial. The Air Force charged him with having unprofessional relationships with two women, engaging in sex with them and obstruction, but chose to try him under a special court-martial, which limits jail time to one year. Jackson also admitted to violating Air Force rules prohibiting relationships like the ones he had with the women, who he met in basic training. Defense attorney Capt. Matthew Deacon sought to portray his client as a standup NCO who worked long hours, received awards and earned respect from others. Deacon said one Air Force colonel wrote that Jackson didn't make excuses when confronted with what he did. Another colonel described Jackson as an excellent candidate for rehabilitation, Deacon told the court, adding that his client's ex-wife called him a strong father, and a pastor described the NCO as a man of great character and integrity. But in her closing argument, prosecutor Capt. Anna Rehder said Jackson was a bad airman, not just a wayward training instructor. Rehder said he merited the punishment because he couldn't follow orders, which are given to recruits on their first day of training. This is a crime against the Air Force, she said. The women he was involved with don't think they're victims and we're not calling them victims. The Air Force lost in this case. Both women testified they had relationships with Jackson, who was a basic training instructor until a fellow NCO turned him in. Peter Vega Maldonado, who was busted to airman and given a light sentence in a plea deal, tipped authorities in other cases as well. He could testify in as many as seven cases. Vega Maldonado, who revealed he had illicit relationships with 10 women in technical training, got a similar sentence and was allowed to stay in the Air Force. Lt. Col. Mark Hoover, a lawyer with the Air Force's training command, said commanders may still remove Jackson. That's a decision that's going to have to be made later, he said. Jackson had sex with the women while they were in technical training schools at Lackland and Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. They started with Facebook and text messages but later turned sexual. He's my friend, and he's still going to be my friend after all this is over, one of the women said Thursday. A key question in the case turned on whether recollections over text messages exchanged between Jackson and a woman identified as Individual 2 were enough to show he sought to obstruct justice. One text message asked if I knew what was going on, the woman testified, adding that another said, 'If anyone asks, you don't know me, you don't know anything.' In his statement, Jackson expressed regret for placing the woman in that situation. He also told the judge, who heard the case, rather than a jury, that his decision to plead guilty to having had the illicit relationships was the most public apology I could make. sigc@express-news.net This year, start building a one-of-a-kind bar with small-batch spirits that stand out from the rest. At Total Wine & More, were constantly on the hunt for unique spirits from small distilleries, so we can introduce you to the best products youve never heard of. Were especially proud of our extensive selection of small-batch Bourbons. The recipe for Basil Hayden 8 Year-Old dates back to 1796, when Master Distiller Basil Hayden decided to blaze a new trail in Bourbon production by mixing a higher percentage of rye into the corn-based mash. This new recipe gave birth to an extraordinarily smooth spirit with a spicy, warming finish and an inviting flavor profile that includes hints of peppermint, pepper and citrus. More than 200 years after its creation, this Basil Hayden whiskey is still inspiring rave reviews, walking away with a silver medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. A while ago I was reading a report based on polling done in Scotland related to peoples perception of Christianity. It was revealing. One of the questions allowed respondents to choose phrases that described the church today. Here are the descriptions chosen by many: not relevant to life; offers no hope for the future; not compatible with science; judgmental; out of touch with reality and hypocritical. Now this study was done in Scotland and Scotland may be a bit further down the post-Christian road than Canada is, but maybe not. Sadly, all these describe a religious institution that has come to a state in which it fails to address human spirituality. Spirituality is the human longings to find meaning in life; to have real connections to oneself, others, the world and the divine; to have hope and faith in an uncertain world and to be part of something bigger than oneself. Words lose their meaning if they are used carelessly. This is the case with the word Christian. It has become a vague religious category that eludes definition. Years ago Beyonce, the hip hop, rhythm and blues and pop super star was asked about the incompatibility of the way she dresses and the lyrics she sings and her claim to be a Christian. Her unapologetic response: When I perform I am acting, my public persona is an act, it is not the real me. Actor is precisely what the word hypocrite means. For so many years, in so many places, so many people for so many reasons have wanted to identify themselves as Christian without committing to the relationship and lifestyle that being a Christ follower requires. This is hardly legitimate. At the root of human spirituality is the importance of integrity. If you are a Buddhist, be one. If you are an Atheist, be one. If you are a Mormon, be one. If you are a Muslim, be one. If you are a Christian, be one. But few people are what they identify themselves to be. We wear labels for lots of reasons, most of the time the reason has little to do with integrity. But labels are just labels, they can be worn with little or no intention to speak to the reality of our lives. However, as old age sets in and death nears, labels fail us. It is easy to pretend when pretense has no apparent consequence. But come to the end of lifes road and see death on the near horizon and pretense fails us. As old age approaches, integrity becomes more important, for many it becomes easier; some believe that authenticity is the right of the old and dying. It should be the passion of all of us. Who are we? What labels do we where? Why do we wear them? Are we even concerned that the label be a description of our real self? It takes so much energy to be an actor (hypocrite). Some people are physically and emotionally exhausted playing the roles of their lives, so tired that they lose their souls in the roles. Being honest with ourselves about who we are, about what we believe and being unapologetic about it is liberating. Christian was never intended to be a role we play. Jesus was extremely hard on role players. Christian was never a word that was intended to describe a religion. It was first used to describe men and women who chose to become followers of the living Christ, guided by his teachings and example. Playing the Christian role is alienating and destructive, but being a genuine Christ follower is liberating and enables us to face lifes most difficult realities. The person playing the role fears old age and death; but the genuine Christ follower is able to face the end of life and death knowing that God is with them. Posted on 01/04/2016, 8:33 am, by Farmscape.Ca The general manager of Manitoba Pork is encouraging anyone considering building a new hog barn to contact the organization for assistance in navigating the permitting process. DGH Engineering has prepared a detailed budget estimate on behalf of Manitoba Pork, to construct new hog finisher facilities under current market conditions, using typical 2,000 and 4,000 head finisher barns as models. Manitoba Pork general manager Andrew Dickson says the documents provide producers a starting point from which they can estimate the real cost of building a hog barn. The engineering firm took 2 standard designs and proceeded to do materials estimates for the lumber, the concrete, the rebar, the penning, the waterers, the electrical supply, machinery, site preparation, power supply, the construction of the manure storage facility, the plumbing, graveling and so on, that would be required to build these 2 types of barns. We didnt ask them to look at innovative penning layouts or anything like that. We wanted to use a standard design and then do detailed cost estimates by going and talking to the potential suppliers of these materials and then applying the normal discounts you would have for a commercial business and allow for contingencies in case of cost overruns and also the usual fees that go with requiring a professional engineer to do the design work, preparation of documents for the planning process through municipalities and the licensing requirements that will be required by the province with Manitoba Conservation, with the Office of the Fire Commissioner for the building permit and with Manitoba Hydro. Dickson notes the documents have been posted to Manitoba Porks web site and he encourages anyone interested in constructing a new barn to contact Manitoba Pork for information and assistance in working through the permitting process. Posted on 01/04/2016, 1:30 pm, by mySteinbach The Manitoba government will donate three ambulances to the humanitarian Ambulances for Ukraine project. Manitobans have a special bond with the people of Ukraine and we stand with them during this crisis and in their time of need, said Premier Selinger. The ambulance project is a practical way Canadians, and in particular, the Ukrainian Canadian community, can help. The premier added the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council is contributing a fourth ambulance to the project. The ambulances are less than eight years old and have had recent safety inspections. The province is investing approximately $40,000 to make any needed repairs to ensure the ambulances are roadworthy and reliable when put into service in Ukraine. We are grateful to the government and people of Manitoba for their generous gift of three ambulances, which will be used to save lives in Ukraine, said Paul Grod, national president, Ukrainian Canadian Congress. Manitobans continue to be generous in their support of the people of Ukraine two years ago as they fought for human dignity against an authoritarian president and today as they defend their families from Russias invasion and ongoing war against the Ukrainian people. The premier noted the Ambulances for Ukraine project will deploy this equipment to front-line medical and health-care workers in Ukraine. The Ambulances for Ukraine project was one of the first priority projects featured by the Ukraine Appeal, an initiative to focus the support of the Ukrainian Canadian community on the critical needs in Ukraine, said John Holuk, project manager, Ambulances for Ukraine project, and member, co-ordinating council, Ukrainian Canadian Congress Ukraine Appeal. While the first phase of the project was focused on providing care to the numerous victims of the conflict in the east, the second phase will expand the focus to meet the needs highlighted by the United Nations and World Health Organization where the continuing conflict has deprived many communities access to basic medical care. Ambulances previously donated by emergency services in Saskatchewan and Alberta have been delivered to hospitals treating the wounded from conflict zones and have already made more than 100 trips to care for or transfer the wounded, the premier noted. There are many close ties between Manitoba and Ukraine, and Im pleased were able to provide help and support to people living in the conflict area, said the premier. In August 2015, the province announced it would invest more than $6.2 million to purchase 52 replacement ambulances in the province to ensure the comfort and safety of patients. Let it be light between us,brothers and sisters from the Earth.Let it be love between all living beings on this Galaxy.Let it be peace between all various races and species.We love you infinitely. I am SaLuSa from Sirius Channel:Laura/Multidimensional Ocean , . . - . . . :Laura/Multidimensional Ocean Private equity clearly has more money than it can deploy sensibly. One sign was its enthusiasm for energy plays. Its hard to imagine an investment more out of synch with the classic private equity formula of steady cash flows and solid customer franchises. Fracking, one of PEs recent targets, is highly capital intensive, and the sellers are at the mercy of price swings in a highly volatile end market. Apparently the private equity crowd fell for the sales pitch of the oil & gas crowd, and convinced themselves that energy prices had nowhere to go but up. Oops. Similarly, some private equity firms seem to have believed the China hype, that the emerging superpowers trajectory was inevitable Yet as weve stressed, no major economy has made a smooth transition from being export-led to consumer-driven. And for those who were watching China, there were signs in addition to the commodity price declines that all was not well. For instance, about 24 months ago, imports of almonds, a favorite of the emerging middle classes in China, fell abruptly, a sign of consumer retrenchment. The Financial Times discuses today how charter prices have collapsed, particularly for dry bulk ships, and the Baltic Dry index is at the lowest level since it started to be published, in 1985. Needless to say, the news of the day, that manufacturing indexes in China have weakened for the 10th straight months. Stock prices fell over 7%, enough to trigger a trading halt for the balance of the day under new circuit breaker rules. Mind you, even by the standards of the highly cyclical shipping business, the current state of affairs is dire. From the Financial Times: Chinas slowing growth and a glut of ships have hit earnings for vessels carrying coal and other dry bulk commodities so hard that owners face forced sales, emergency capital raisings and possible bankruptcy. Charter fees are not covering vessels operating costs, let alone their financing, in the latest bad news for the many private equity firms that have invested in the sector. Short-term charter rates for Capesize ships the largest kind were as low as $4,897 a day on December 23, down from more than $20,000 a day in August. Vessels typically cost around $13,000 a day to operate and finance. And private equity made this debacle even worse than it had to be by adding to capacity at the peak: The slide partly reflected growth in the dry bulk fleet as vessels ordered in late 2013 and early 2014, many with private equity funding, were delivered. The net capacity of the world dry bulk fleet grew 3 per cent in the first 10 months of 2015, despite a spike in the number of older vessels being scrapped following the slump in rates. And it was not as if this problem was not foreseeable. The Financial Times warned early last year that the private equity strategy was wrongheaded, that if it were to invest in tankers at all, investing in older ones rather than new capacity would have been sounder. Since the shipping industry is not a major beat for the pink paper, its not hard to imagine that insiders had been giving warnings privately even earlier. From the 2015 story: One of Greeces highest-profile shipowners has warned private equity firms they risk destroying markets if they continue to finance new vessels, after excessive deliveries have driven down cargo rates. Private equity, which until the past few years was only a minor contributor to shipping finance, has invested at least $5bn in shipping every year since 2010 and funded about 10 per cent of deals. The cash rescued many companies after the collapse in rates and banks growing caution towards shipping lending after the financial crisis. However, much of the new capital was used to order new vessels at cut rates from desperate shipyards, rather than buying existing vessels from other shipowners. And as the new story details, low oil prices have further whacked charter rates by reducing transit times and hence lease terms: The crisis has been made worse by the low oil price. As the price of fuel has fallen, charterers have ordered many shipowners to speed ships up instead of operating them slowly to save fuel. Michael Bodouroglou, chief executive of Paragon Shipping, an Athens-based, New York-listed dry bulk shipowner, said the increased speed was making the oversupply problem worse by increasing the fleets carrying capacity. Conditions are so lousy that major players, including public companies, are selling ships at distressed prices to raise cash. Monarch Alternative Capital and Oak Tree Capital have large stakes in two of the public companies that are under duress. And given that these deals were levered, you can expect the related debt, which probably at least in part wound up in private equity credit funds, will also show losses. Mind you, these tanker losses are chump change in term of the total capital deployed by the private equity industry. But the fact that the funds invested on a continued basis, as opposed to a brief fling at bottom-fishing, strongly points to underestimation of the risks (as in a naive belief that they could rise a rising market and get out in time) or sheer cynicism (private equity makes money whether the deals work out or not). And more broadly, as the peak multiples paid in 2015 attest, it also shows too much money chasing too few deals can lead to a remarkable ability to rationalize questionable investments. By Roy Poses, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Brown University, and the President of FIRM the Foundation for Integrity and Responsibility in Medicine. Cross posted from the Health Care Renewal website As I have written before as a physician who saw too many dire results of intravenous drug abuse, I was amazed how narcotics were pushed as the treatment of choice for chronic pain in the 1990s, with the result that the US was once again engulfed in an epidemic of narcotic abuse and its effects. In mid-December, 2015, as reported in the Washington Post, The nation continues to suffer through a widespread epidemic to prescription opioids and their illegal cousin, heroin. The CDC estimated that 20 percent of patients who complain about acute or chronic pain that is not from cancer are prescribed opioids. Health-care providers wrote 259 million prescriptions for the medications in 2012, enough for every adult in the United States to have a bottle of pills, the CDC wrote. Last week, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that the number of overdose deaths from legal opioid drugs surged by 16.3 percent in 2014, to 18,893, while overdose fatalities from heroin climbed by 28 percent, to 10,574. Authorities have said that previous efforts to restrict prescription drug abuse have forced some people with addictions to the medications onto heroin, which is cheaper and widely available. This rising tide of death and morbidity seems to have been fueled by reckless, sometimes deceptive, sometimes illegal marketing by the pharmaceutical companies that produced narcotics other than heroin. Background Legal Drug Pushing As I wrote in 2013, the realization began to dawn that patients, doctors and society were being victimized by a new type of pusher man, this time dressed in a suit and working for an ethical drug company. In the earlier days of Health Care Renewal, we first posted (in 2006) about allegations of deceptive and unethical promotion of fentanyl by Cephalon that lead to its overuse by patients beyond those with cancer who were its ostensible target population. Then in 2007 came the spectacular case of guilty pleas by a subsidiary of Purdue Pharma and several of its executives for misbranding Oxycontin, that is, promoting it far beyond any medically legitimate use in severe chronic pain. Following that various investigations, well chronicled in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, showed how pharmaceutical companies employed deceptive marketing techniques, subverting medical education and research, and creating conflicted key opinion leaders and institutionally conflicted disease advocacy groups, to push more legal narcotics For example, see the Journal Sentinel reports the subversion of : medical schools and their faculty; .medical societies, disease advocacy groups, and foundations; and guideline writing panels. In 2012, we posted about how a drug company paid key opinion leader admitted to second thoughts about his role promoting narcotics. As I described in that 2012 post, the new narcotic pushers relied on only the most sketchy evidence about the safety of prescription narcotics. In the 1990s, they taught that the rate of addiction caused by prescribing legal narcotics was only 1%, but this was based on a tiny flawed case series of a mere 38 patients. In 1996, a consensus statement from the American Academy of Pain Medicine and the American Pain Society, entitled The Use of Opioids for the Treatment of Chronic Pain, included the following statements, Pain is often managed inadequately, despite the ready availability of safe and effective treatments. Studies indicate that the de novo development of addiction when opioids are used for the relief of pain is low. Yet one of the primary proponents of profligate use of narcotics to treat chronic pain later admitted he erred by overstating the drugs benefits and glossing over risks. Did I teach about pain management, specifically about opioid therapy, in a way that reflects misinformation? Well, against the standards of 2012, I guess I did, Dr. Portenoy said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. We didnt know then what we know now. Also, I gave innumerable lectures in the late 1980s and 90s about addiction that werent true, Dr. Portenoy said in a 2010 videotaped interview with a fellow doctor. The Journal reviewed the conversation, much of which is previously unpublished. In it, Dr. Portenoy said it was quite scary to think how the growth in opioid prescribing driven by people like him had contributed to soaring rates of addiction and overdose deaths. Clearly, if I had an inkling of what I know now then, I wouldnt have spoken in the way that I spoke. It was clearly the wrong thing to do, Dr. Portenoy said in the recording. The CDC Attempts to Moderate the Use of Opioids for Chronic Pain So to me it seems quite reasonable the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), being cognizant of the rising toll of narcotic addiction, would attempt to do something about it. As reported by the Washington Post, The government on Monday urged primary-care physicians who prescribe opioids for pain relief to rein in their use of the drugs, proposing new guidelines that call for a more conservative approach than the one that has led to a crippling epidemic of addiction to the powerful narcotics. Just a few days after a new report showed a surge of drug-related overdoses in 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested in draft recommendations that physicians tackle chronic pain with other methods, such as physical therapy and non-opioid analgesics, before turning to the powerful medications. If opioids, such as OxyContin and Percocet, are necessary, the agency recommended short-acting versions over extended release formulations, the lowest possible dose and short-term prescriptions. It also suggested that doctors ask patients to take urine tests before prescribing opioids and additional urine tests at least once a year if they continue on the drugs, to ensure that they arent secretly taking other opioids or illegal drugs. What we want to just make sure is that doctors understand that starting a patient on an opiate is a momentous decision, said CDC director Tom Frieden. The risks are addiction and death, and the benefits are unproven. Based on the events since they 1990s, the lack of clear data from well performed randomized controlled trials of the effectiveness of opioids in chronic pain, and their obvious, known risks, that seems like common sense to me. The Strong but Obscure Opposition to the CDC Guidelines However,others disagreed. The guidelines attracted immediate opposition, for reasons that were not immediately obvious. Four days after the Post article, the Associated Press reported that the guidelines were in big trouble, A bold federal effort to curb prescribing of painkillers may be faltering amid stiff resistance from drugmakers, industry-funded groups and, now, even other public health officials. Also, Critics complained the CDC guidelines went too far and had mostly been written behind closed doors. One group threatened to sue. Then earlier this month, officials from the FDA and other health agencies at a meeting of pain experts bashed the guidelines as shortsighted, relying on low-quality evidence. They said they planned to file a formal complaint. The CDC a week later abandoned its January target date, instead opening the guidelines to public comment for 30 days and additional changes. Anti-addiction activists worry the delay could scuttle the guidelines entirely. This, however, did not make much sense. I repeat, the evidence that narcotics are effective for chronic pain other than that due to terminal cancer is very weak. The evidence that opioids have multiple side effects, some fatal, and can cause addiction, which has more side effects, and bad societal consequences, is strong. So the evidence that narcotics have benefits that are worth their harms, both to individuals and society, in this setting is essentially non-existent. So why did these guidelines go too far? Why invoke low quality evidence, when the evidence that is low quality is about the benefits of the drugs? Who should be sued? Furthermore, why did the CDC cave in so readily to these critics? The AP noted, But industry-funded groups like the U.S. Pain Foundation and the American Academy of Pain Management warn that the CDC guidelines could block patient access to medications if adopted by state health systems, insurers and hospitals. Of course they could reduce access. The whole point of the guidelines is to reduce access. But who would want more access to medicines that do more harm than good? Then there was the issue of just who it was who opposed the guidelines. Much of the opposition seemed to come from rather obscure organizations with authoritative names. Some of the opposition was chronicled by equally obscure, apparently journalistic organizations. (From now on, I will highlight these mysterious organizations by using bold, italic text in this color.) For example, according to the Washington Post, Many of the patient and physician groups opposing the CDC guidelines are part of a larger coalition called the Pain Care Forum, which meets monthly in Washington to strategize on pain issues. Officials from the White House, the FDA, NIH and other agencies have met with the group over the years, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act. The Pain Care Forum presents itself as a leaderless collective that does not take formal positions. But most members receive funding from drugmakers, including OxyContin-maker Purdue, whose chief lobbyist helped found the group and remains at its center. The mission of the Pain Care Forum, its organizational nature (informal group, membership society, non-profit advocacy group, etc), its leadership, and its sources of funding were not entirely obvious from this article. But certainly the drift of the article was that the organization maybe represents pharmaceutical manufacturers, particularly the previously discredited Purdue Pharma (see above) more than others. So why not take what it says with many grains of salt. But who threatened to sue? Which FDA officials chimed in, and why, given that the FDA does not have a mission that includes writing guidelines? That was not clear from the AP story. My attempts to gain further clarity produced more mystification. A Medscape article also claimed that the opposition to the CDC guidelines included Dr James Madara, the Executive Vice-President and CEO of the American Medical Association, and some members of the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee [who] criticized the process, according to the Pain News Network. It was not clear whether Dr Madaras viewpoint had broad support in the AMA, which members of the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee opposed the CDC guidelines, and whether this opposition was personal, or reflected the considered viewpoint of the committee. Furthermore, that committees purview does not obviously include clinical guideline development or public health, so why it was commenting on this issue was also unclear. The Pain News Network story which apparently was the source used by the Medscape in turn referred to a Politico story, but one which is only available to subscribers. The Pain News Network also credited a survey by the Pain News Network and the Power of Pain Foundation. The Medscape article said nothing more about the Pain News Network.which is not exactly a household word in health care journalism. The Pain News Network story did not give more detail about the Power of Pain Foundation, whose mission, nature, leadership, funding etc was not obvious. The Pain News Network story also quoted the Washington Legal Foundations chief counsel. The overly secretive manner in which CDC has been developing the Guideline serves the interests of neither the healthcare community nor consumers. Similarly, the Washington Post article also credited the Washington Legal Foundations opposition to the CDC guidelines, The Washington Legal Foundation, a public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free enterprise system, accused the CDC of trying to formulate them secretly by failing to make public the work of its original advisory committee, the Core Expert Group. The CDC disputes that accusation, but issued the recommendations in draft form Monday and will have them reviewed by another advisory panel after receiving more comment over the next 30 days, Frieden said. Yet, neither the Pain News Network nor the Post explained why a group supporting free enterprise was so concerned about this issue, or what expertise it might have in this area. It is ironic that a group that proclaims opposition to secrecy seems less than transparent about its involvement in this issue. Finally, the nature of the Pain News Network, which claims to be a non-profit, independent news source, is also obscure. It appears to be one of those non-profits that has no physical address per its web page of contact information, does not disclose its sources of funding, and if it files US Internal Revenue Service 990 forms, I cannot find them. The most detailed article I could find about the substance of the complaints about the CDC guidelines was in another obscure source, the Legal News Line. The article mostly described the concerns of Peter Pitts, a former associate commissioner of external affairs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and now president and co-founder of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, can be counted among those critical of how the panel was put together. Pitts main issue was that a member of the group that developed the CDC guidelines was biased. He said, So you have to have as open of a mind as possible. And thats exactly where the CDC went wrong, Pitts said, pointing to Jane Ballantyne. Ballantyne served as a member of the CDCs Core Expert Group, which played a key role in developing the agencys opioid guidelines. Ballantyne, a retired professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of Washington, is a member of the International Association for the Study of Pain, or IASP, and last year was named president of the Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, or PROP. PROPs mission, according to its website, is to reduce opioid-related morbidity and mortality by promoting cautious and responsible prescribing practices. Not only does she have strong opinions, but extra strong opinions almost on the lunatic fringe on pain medicine issues, Pitts said. For the CDC to say, were going to put someone who comes to the discussion with such preconceived notions on such a committee, you have to ask yourself, why? And then why was it hidden from the public? The Legal New Lines example of supposed journalism did not apparently ask Pitts what was lunatic about wanting to promote cautious and responsible prescribing of opioids. That seems to me like common clinical sense, the opposite of insanity. Also, Pitts complained that beyond this alleged bias, Dr Ballantyne had a conflict of interest, Pitts noted Ballantynes connection to law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC a plaintiffs law firm that is known for its class action lawsuits and has been hired by a number of state attorneys general in recent years, including some of those to whom it donated. Ballantyne reportedly disclosed her services as a paid consultant for Cohen Milstein to the CDC. The firm currently is helping to represent the City of Chicago in a lawsuit filed against a group of pharmaceutical companies over the marketing of opioid painkillers. Note that in the first paragraph above, the writer apparently meant that the law firm donated to the campaigns of the attorney generals. More importantly, why the apparent conflict of interest affecting a single member of a large group the core expert group of which Dr Ballantyne sat included 17 people was so important was not apparent from Mr Pitts argument. Mr Pitts did not explain how any sort of advisory group that included experts in the field could avoid people who already had strong opinions about that field. The Legal News Line article did not discuss Mr Pitts own background, or provide any information about the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, which he leads. I could not find reporting in major news outlets or medical/ health care scholarly publications about the opposition to the CDC guidelines beyond the stories in the Washington Post, AP, and Medscape, and a brief report in Modern Healthcare. I did find numerous articles on yet another little known website called the National Pain Report, (e.g. see this one). So to summarize so far, the opposition to the new CDC opioid guidelines was apparently strong enough to delay, if not derail them. Yet who was in the opposition, their funding, and their interests remains obscure. The arguments of the opposition remain unclear. Even some of the purported journalists reporting on the opposition remain mysterious. There seems to be a tremendous amount of fog surrounding the opposition to more conservative prescribing of narcotics for non-cancerous chronic pain. The Common Thread Stealth Health Policy Advocacy It was striking that much of the opposition seemed to come from rather mysterious organizations, the Pain Care Forum, Power of Pain Foundation, Washington Legal Foundation, and Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. However, the reporting on these organizations was minimal. Furthermore, some of the news sources reporting on the opposition to the CDC guidelines also were rather mysterious, such as the Pain News Network, National Pain Report, and Legal News Line. One recent media article, and some of our previous blogging, though suggest that the opposition organizations all have ties to the pharmaceutical industry, and in several cases, directly to one of the major producers of legal opioids. On December 23, 2015, Lee Fang wrote in the Intercept by way of an introduction, The pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and market OxyContin, Vicodin, and other highly addictive opioid painkillers drugs that have fueled the epidemic of overdoses and heroin addiction are funding nonprofit groups fighting furiously against efforts to reform how these drugs are prescribed. In particular, An investigation by The Intercept has found that the pharmaceutical companies that dominate the $9 billion a year opioid painkiller market have funded organizations attacking reform of the prescribing guidelines: The Washington Legal Foundation, a nonprofit that litigates to defend free-market principles, threatened the CDC with legal action if the agency moved forward with the proposed opioid guidelines. The WLG claimed the CDCs advisory panel for the guidelines lacked fair ideological balance, because it included a doctor who is part of an advocacy effort against opioid addiction. The WLF does not disclose donor information, but has filed friend-of-the-court briefs on behalf of Purdue Pharma, the makers of OxyContin. In a recent article with Pain News Network, a spokesperson for Purdue Pharma conceded: Were long-standing supporters of WLF, in addition to several other business and legal organizations. Weve provided them with unrestricted grants. The Pain Care Forum organized opposition to the CDC prescribing guidelines, mobilizing regular meetings among stakeholders opposed to the idea, according to an investigation by AP reporter Matthew Perrone. A recently re-filed complaint by the City of Chicago found that Burt Rosen, the chief in-house lobbyist for Purdue Pharma, controls the Pain Care Forum. A former drug company employee allegedly told investigators that Rosen tells the Pain Care Forum what to do and how we do it. The Pain Care Forum is funded through contributions by Purdue Pharma, as well as major opioid manufacturers Cephalon, Endo, and Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The Power of Pain Foundation, a group funded by Purdue Pharma, asked supporters to contact the CDC in opposition to the guidelines, claiming that taking away pain medication and making providers afraid to prescribe due to your guidelines is only going to make more abusers, increase suicides, and tear apart the lives of millions. Fang also noted that the Legal News Line, the source of the story documenting Peter Pitts problems with the CDC guidelines, also is tied to the pharmaceutical industry: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a corporate lobbying group that represents opioid manufacturers, including Johnson & Johnson, issued a press release masquerading as a news story [published by the Legal News Line] criticizing the CDC guidelines. (The U.S. Chamber operates a public relations effort dressed up as a bona fide media outlet called Legal Newsline, which it uses to disseminate stories that support the political priorities of its member companies.) In addition, on Health Care Renewal we have previously discussed the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. Back in 2008, we noted that when writing for the New York Times, Mr Pitts had to disclose that the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest receives pharmaceutical industry funding, including from Pfizer and the PhRMA. At that time, Mr Pitts day job was Senior Vice President for Global Health Affairs at the big public relations firm Manning, Selvage and Lee. Manning, Selvege and Lee had many big pharmaceutical accounts Since then, he moved on to become director for global healthcare at Porter Novelli, also a public relations/ communications company with many health care corporate clients, including pharmaceutical companies, and now appears to be a consultant in the life sciences area for YourEncore. I cannot find any updated information on current Center for Medicine in the Public Interest funding, but there is no reason to think that it is not still funded by the pharmaceutical industry. Mr Pitts published objections to the CDC guidelines had to do with the supposed bias and conflicts of interests of a single member of the guideline expert panel, and the alleged lack of transparency of the guideline project. Yet Mr Pitts was not very transparent about his own background, and his and his organizations financial interests. For Mr Pitts to condemn the guideline panel members conflict while hiding his own conflict amounts to a garish example of the logical fallacy of special pleading. Similarly, the Washington Legal Foundations objections to the alleged biases of the guideline panel, given that foundation is apparently funded by Purdue Pharma, is another garish example of the same logical fallacy. On the other hand, the Pain News Network and the National Pain Report remain obscure. The former claims to be a non-profit organization, but I cannot find its federal 990 filing, identify its board of trustees, or even determine its physical address. It does claim an affiliation with the Power of Pain Foundation. The National Pain Report at least has a physical address, which it shares with the equally obscure American News Report. Other details, like its ownership, remain obscure. The failure of supposedly journalistic organizations to publicly reveal basic information about their nature and operations does raise suspicions that they are not really so journalistic. Summary In summary, the organizations most widely mentioned as opposing the new CDC guidelines that recommend more conservative use of opioids for chronic pain seem to be heavily involved with the pharmaceutical companies that make such opioids. Thus, the opposition to the guidelines seems to be arising from a stealth public relations campaign leading to stealth health policy advocacy. Furthermore, at least so far, the objections to the guidelines do not seem clearly based on logic and good evidence from clinical research, again suggesting they are more about financial interests than improving patient outcomes and reducing risks. Overuse and misuse of opioids, which may lead to all the individual and social consequences of opioid addiction, are clearly major, worsening medical and public health issues. We need earnest effort to address these problems, which should be informed by a logical, evidence-based discussion of the clinical and social realities. Such a discussion is only hindered by the growing fog of objections launched by mysterious organizations funded by the companies who have made the most money selling narcotics. So we also need some societal response to the growing domination of the public debate by marketing and public relations, often based on emotional manipulation, logical fallacies, and outright deception. We cannot address our worsening health care dysfunction when public discussion and policy making blunders about in the fog of stealth health policy advocacy, stealth lobbying, and stealth marketing. If the leaders of big health care corporations really believe they are making good products and providing good services that add value and improve patients and the publics health, they ought to be able to rely on honest and open communications. If they cannot disavow stealth public relations and stealth marketing, we ought to disavow the companies that practice them. SHARE WASHINGTON The old admonition about not messing with Texas (expand that to Texans) has become more a reality than ever. If you should happen to be visiting the Lone Star State be careful who you bump into ... literally, that is. He or she might take offense. At the very time the nation is finally waking up to the dangers of unfettered gun distribution and President Barack Obama is looking for ways to take executive action, the wannabe buckeroos of the Wild West (mainly Republican legislators) have overturned an 1871 Texas state law prohibiting the open carry of firearms. Now, it seems, it takes less time to get through security at the state capitol if you're displaying your six shooters to 9 mm semi-automatics or whatever poison you choose. The unarmed "greenhorns" stand in long lines to go through the metal detectors. When Obama revealed in a New Year's radio broadcast that he was going to talk to his attorney general about what legal steps he could take without congressional interference to slow down American gun deaths now equal to those in auto accidents, the Texas governor issued a retaliatory tweet that sounded more like an offer for the president to meet him in the street probably at sundown than just a political taunt. "Obama wants to impose more gun control. My response? COME&TAKE IT," Republican Gov. Greg Abbot wrote in a "draw, pardner" demand that seems more than a little out of line. However, there are those out there attempting to work in the middle of the current controversy with sensible compromises that preserve Second Amendment principles while taking steps to protect the rights and safety of all citizens, including those who don't want to bear arms, if there are any left. Believe it or not the groups for sane solutions include the American Firearms Retailers Association and Evolve, whose aim is to reduce accidental loss of life by promoting gun safety including controversial gun locks and other procedures opposed by gun advocates. AFRA is made up of federally licensed gun dealers and Evolve is a privately funded group which counsels that while owning a gun may be a right, "it doesn't give one a right to be a dumbass." These groups and others represent "the silent majority" of Americans who believe background checks should be expanded to gun show and Internet sellers and require their licensing, a step Obama reportedly believes can be taken legally through his own order. Expanding background checks is favored by 89 percent of Americans, according to recent polls. Despite its popularity, Obama's efforts to accomplish broadening the background policy through legislation failed in the Senate, mainly because of four votes from members of his own Democratic Party. The president's efforts have been lagging since that vote until recently when the nation was shocked by a mass murder in San Bernardino, California, by those claiming allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist organization, or ISIS. The so-called "middle grounders" are in sharp contrast to the fringe operators on the left and right of the gun debate, those who would ban all guns and lobbyists for no laws. The National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sport Foundation, both mouthpieces for the gun manufacturers, continue their unrelenting opposition to any effort on either state or national levels that restrict the distribution of weapons and ammunition. They argue that the Second Amendment comes without qualification and requires absolute fealty to uninhibited possession anywhere in any venue. A spokesman for AFRA said it was dedicated to showing there is a middle ground that gets things accomplished by avoiding the extremes on both sides. Legitimate gun dealers, he argued, don't oppose sensible measures but are small business men who get jumped on from all directions when a disaster occurs. "The ATF targets them, the NSSF ignores them and gun manufacturers continually place them at risk with poorly marked serial numbers and so forth. Many are family-owned businesses (which) work hard to prevent guns from landing in the wrong hands. They get little support." The action in Texas shows that the "safe and sane" elements have an uphill fight. Surveys show that gun sales surged after San Bernardino and that 50 percent of Americans believe encouraging legal gun carrying is a better reaction to terrorists than new laws. As I said, don't mess with Texas. Kayakers follow a trail through the estuary. Rookery Bay offers kayak tours through the mangrove tunnels and islands to learn more about our "backyard." Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent SHARE 1. Friday: Women's Winter Bible Study Seminar and Luncheon Marco Presbyterian Church kicks off their Women's Winter Bible Study with a seminar and luncheon on Friday, Jan. 8; registration begins at 9:30 a.m., seminar at 10 with lunch following. Keynote speaker Jennifer VanderGalien will share how God rescued her from her addictions and how He continues to work in her life. VanderGalien now spends much of each year in Tanzania and supports the women in Shining A Light ministry, a training program that she founded. The ministry both educates women and trains them in the art of sandal-making enabling them to become self-supporting. The women's Winter Bible Study, featuring Jen Wilkin's "Sermon on the Mount" begins 9:30 a.m., Jan. 15 and will continue every Friday until March 11. The sermon given to Jesus' disciples early in His ministry articulates what the life of a Christ-follower would look like. Both practical and profound, the sermon explores the nature of true righteousness and asks of us today the same questions it posed to its original hearers. How should one relate to sin, to others and to the law? All women are invited. The church is located at 875 West Elkcam Circle, Marco Island. For advance registration go to the website: marcochurch.com. Advance registration: marcochurch.com. 2. Wednesday: Marco Island Farmers Market Every Wednesday through April, at Veterans Community Park, local Southwest Florida vendors will be selling home good items and crafts including: fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, salsa, sauces, fresh flowers, seafood, soaps, and much more. Information: 239-642-0575 or cityofmarcoisland.com. 3. Rookery Bay guided tours Unique opportunities to view wildlife while exploring mangrove tunnels and coastal uplands are available November through April during guided boat and kayak tours in Rookery Bay. During the two-hour guided kayak tours, guests paddle through the shallow mangrove forest with an experienced guide and naturalist. Tours are Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is $59 for the public and $49 for Friends of Rookery Bay members and includes a kayak, all equipment and paddling instruction. Three-hour guided boat tours offer a more personalized experience, as each both has a six-passenger maximum capacity. Several trips are available, each with a different theme, and are offered Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. Tour offerings include Life is a Beach, Treasure Island, Essence of an Estuary and High Points. Sunset to Starlight tours are offered on evenings around the time of the full moon. All tours provide a chance to see diverse native wildlife and offer an excellent opportunity for nature photography. The cost is $89 for the public and $79 for Friends of Rookery Bay members. Tickets to all guided tours also include admission to the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center on the day of the tour. Tour proceeds support the nonprofit Friends of Rookery Bay. Registration is required either online at rookerybay.org/visit/naturalist-guided-tours or by calling 239-530-5972. SHARE 1. Florida gears up for python hunt in Everglades Officials are gearing up for Florida's upcoming public hunt for invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Python Challenge" will run from Jan. 16 through Feb. 14. The snake-catching festival attempts to reduce South Florida's population of the giant constrictors. Participants will compete for individual and team prizes for catching the most pythons and catching the longest one. Spokeswoman Carli Segelson says one of the goals of the event is to make people aware of the non-native species and how to report them. The previous challenge, held in 2013, resulted in the capture of 68 snakes. Scientists say thousands of pythons are to blame for the decline of native wildlife across Florida's Everglades. 2. Register for Snook symposium by Jan. 6 The last day to register for the Jan.13 Snook Symposium in Orlando is Jan. 6. The day-long discussion is open to the public and will focus on snook management and research in Florida, including the results of the soon-to-be released 2015 stock assessment, information on population recovery following the 2010 cold kill, and opportunities for improving snook management. Learn more by viewing the agenda at MyFWC.com/Snook2016. The symposium will be held at the Caribe Royale, 8101 World Center Drive in Orlando. Email Marine@MyFWC.com or call 850-487-0554 with questions. Anyone interested in attending must register at MyFWC.com/Snook2016. 3. Sunrise Rotary expands Kops program to include fire rescue The Rotary Club of Marco Island Sunrise recently announced an expansion of its Kindness On Patrol Service program (KOPS). The program was initiated with the Marco Island Police Department as a "partner" to benefit the Marco Island community. The Sunrise Rotary board recently voted to expand the program to include Marco Island Fire Rescue and members of Collier County EMS while on assignment to Marco Island. The KOPS program has been available to reimburse Marco police officers, Community Service officers, reserve officers and auxiliary when they personally pay for something to meet an immediate need of a Marco Islander. Officer Karie Petit was reimbursed for her personal financial assistance of a needy Marco Islander. Including the Fire Rescue and EMS personnel will expand the opportunities to help the Marco Island community. Expansion of the program was enthusiastically received by Fire Chief Mike Murphy, who expressed his belief the members of his department would "take off and run with it." It is Chief Murphy's thought that members of the public would also bring to the attention of Marco firefighters anyone who is in need and might benefit from the program. Anyone aware of a person in need that might benefit from the KOPS program can contact Marco Island Police at 239-394-5050 or Marco Island Fire Rescue at 239-394-5405. For further information about the KOPS program, contact William G. Morris at wgm@wgmorrislaw.com; Rotary Club of Marco Island Sunrise, visit the Club's website at marcosunriserotary.com. Marine Archaeologist Jeff Moates in scuba gear in this submitted photo. SHARE By B. Elaine Michaelis Well-known marine archaeologist Jeff Moates returns to Rose History Auditorium this time to explore Florida's history of Spanish shipwrecks in a lecture called "Dispatches of the Deep." The lecture, which is hosted by the Marco Island Historical Society, will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 5. Spanish ships have navigated Florida waters for more than 500 years. "Dispatches of the Deep" will highlight the evidence underwater archaeologists have uncovered over the years of failed colonies, far-ranging trade networks and the treasure or plate fleet (from the Spanish "plata" meaning silver) doomed to a watery death by hurricanes, coastal reefs, shallow shores and pirates. Many of these wrecks have been discovered in waters shallow enough to be explored, and over the years, Moates has been involved in several of these important finds, even training other divers in the art of underwater research. Raised in Florida and exposed to all kinds of water activities, marine archaeology was just a natural extension of what Moates liked to do as a young boy. Moates is currently the director of the West Central Regional Center of the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) in Tampa. Prior to his association with FPAN, he was an underwater archaeologist for the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research in Tallahassee and also was a curator with the Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez. Moates earned both a bachelor's degree in anthropology and a master's in history/historical archaeology at the University of West Florida in Pensacola. The Moates lecture is free to members of the Historical Society and $5 for nonmembers. Rose History Auditorium is located at 180 S. Heathwood Drive on Marco Island. For more information, call 239-389-6447 or visit theMIHS.org. SHARE "Jungle on the Edge," Tanya Trinkaus Glass. "Kates Cafe," Marianne Crowley "As Good As It Gets," M. Weil. "Soaring on High," Inez Hudson By Submitted The Marco Island Center for the Arts will be host to the Southwest Florida Pastel Society Member Annual Show Jan. 7 through 26, at the Center. The show will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The show is not merely an exhibition. All of the outstanding art will be for sale. The Southwest Florida Pastel Society is a non-profit organization of pastel artists who live and work in Southwest Florida. It encourages and promotes enthusiastic pastel artists in their growth and success and is excited about expanding its public offerings to include the show at Marco Island's Art Center. Featured works will include "Up from the Sea" by Patti Leavitt, "Coco Nuts" by Tanya Trinkus Glass and "Island Causeway" by Mary Lou Hicks. The show will include a wide selection of pastel artists of Southwest Florida. The Center will host an opening reception from 5:30 until 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 12, and the public is invited. The reception will have a display of the culinary arts, as the food is provided by The Marriott. In the Center's La Petite Gallery, the works of Inez Hudson will be featured. Hudson is known for her detailed paintings of figures and tropical birds, but the versatility of her work will be well represented in this show. She is a finalist for the former N Magazine's Enny Award, a poster artist for the 2009 Naples National Art Festival and the recipient of numerous art awards. The opening of the Pastel and Hudson exhibits coincides with the start of the 2016 class offerings at the Center. Classes include all media including drawing, watercolor, oil, photography, stone and clay. The Center offers a variety of beginner classes for those wishing to try something new in addition to its intermediate and advance offerings. A complete list of the Center's class offerings may be found atmarcoislandart.org/classes. Registration is available online or by calling the Center at 239-394-4221. For further information concerning Marco Island Center for the Arts activities, classes, and upcoming exhibits, visit marcoislandart.org. SHARE OCOEE Authorities say one teenager is dead and another injured after a fight ended in a shooting in Ocoee. Orlando Sgt. Daniel Brady said in a news release that the incident happened early Sunday. Brady says there was a large group of people gathered in a parking lot when the fight broke out and numerous gunshots were fired. Brady says it appears the victims were attempting to leave the area when a car pulled up to the victims' vehicle, firing shots. Authorities have identified the teenager who was killed as 17-year-old Norris Daquan Adams. Adams, who was a passenger in the car, was pronounced dead at a hospital. Brady says a 16-year-old passenger was also injured, but is expected to survive. Authorities are continuing to investigate the shooting. Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida. SHARE By Arek Sarkissian of the Naples Daily News TALLAHASSEE A Florida Senate redistricting plan ordered by a Leon County Circuit Court Judge would place Collier County under one district and, some argue, threaten Republican control of the chamber. In choosing the new map, Judge George Reynolds also rejected a plan by Senate Republican leaders as the most suitable plan for the chamber's 40 seats. The map Reynolds chose, which was submitted by the Florida League of Women Voters and Common Cause Florida, would create a nearly even number of districts favoring each party, and it expanded Southwest Florida's District 23, currently held by the term-limited Naples Republican Garrett Richter. It would also push Collier's only Democratic seat, currently held by Dwight Bullard, away from county lines. For Collier County, the map would extend Senate District 23 into Ave Maria and Immokalee, where there is not a strong voter base, said Mike Lyster, of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee. "From one aspect, it kind of helps us," Lyster said Thursday. "It puts all of us in one district so it's easier to hand out campaign materials." Lyster said the new proposed district map could help state Rep. Matt Hudson, who has a bid for Richter's seat along with fellow Naples Republican state Rep. Kathleen Passidomo and former Naples City Councilman Gary Price. The new map includes much of Hudson's current House district, which includes Immokalee and part of Hendry County. Hudson said he plans to work hard to campaign for the seat. "I believe that having already spent four years getting to know the folks of Hendry County in the district is certainly very positive," Hudson said. "My work ethic will not allow me to do anything other than work hard every day and execute my plan." Passidomo said she had believed Collier County should fall under one district, and it would be particularly easier to represent the county in Tallahassee for economic development issues. Also, she did not believe the new map would affect her bid for the Senate seat. "It's going to be hard work but I can do it," Passidomo said. "What's unique about our area is that we're conservative Republican no matter how you slice it." Efforts to reach Price for comment failed. The largely even number of Senate seats could mean more of a struggle for Republicans as they fight to retain control of the chamber. The lawsuit that led to the redrawn map was brought by a coalition of voter-rights groups who proved in court that the Senate had created a map based on political preference. Former Senate Democratic Leader Chris Smith of Fort Lauderdale, said he believed his party could take the chamber in the next few election cycles. "I think we have excellent candidates with the resources to win," Smith said. A spokeswoman for Senate President Andy Gardiner said he was still reviewing Reynolds' ruling. It was not immediately clear of the Senate would appeal. State Sen. Joe Negron, a Stuart Republican who will become Senate president in 2017 said he was pleased that the maps were fairly drawn for both sides. He was also not concerned that the Republicans would lose control of the chamber. "Oh, I definitely expect to be on offense," Negron said. "I know we will work hard to raise the resources necessary to make sure that we continue to have a strong majority." Contact Daily News reporter arek.sarkissian@naplesnwes.com or 850-559-7620 SHARE Roy Mills Roy Anthony Mills (Provided photo) By Alexi C. Cardona of the Naples Daily News Roy Mills lived and died a man of his word. If he said he would be somewhere, he'd be there. If he couldn't go, he would call. If someone needed him to do something for them, he was there to do it. He didn't break his promises. The night he died he told his sister, Valrie Knight, that he was going to see someone about some work they needed done. He said he would only be 25 minutes, but he didn't make it home. More than 100 of Mills' family and friends gathered on Sunday to honor the life of a man whose universe revolved around his family. "He said he was going to go and come right back," Knight said. "I can't believe I'm burying my brother." On the night of Dec. 15, Mills, 52, was riding his bike home along Everglades Boulevard near 48th Avenue Northeast when the driver of a minivan struck the back bicycle tire. Mills flew from the bike and struck the minivan windshield. He was flown to Lee Memorial Hospital and died later that evening. Troopers say the driver who hit Mills, 53-year-old Maricel Lopez, first left the scene but later returned. A search of Collier County arrest records show she has not been arrested. Relatives and friends gathered at Fuller Funeral Home on Pine Ridge Road to sing, pray and mourn the loss of the family clown and cook. "He'd always say, 'You can't cook like me,'" said Melissa Mills-Hyatt, Mills' daughter, during a reading of his obituary. "His looks were important to him, too. He was a pretty boy. He'd say, 'You can't pretty like me.'" He was good with a grill and cooked Indian food best, according to his daughter. Born in St. Thomas, Jamaica, Mills was one of seven siblings. Knight was his heart. "My baby brother. He was always with me," Knight said. "He followed me everywhere. If I moved to the moon, he would move to the moon." Mills was devoted to his mother, Lynette Clarke. He was her nurse while Knight was away at work. He would cook, clean, do laundry, bathe and dress her. The three shared a home in Golden Gate Estates. When he returned home from a trip to Homestead, he brought her an orchid. After being buried at Palm Royale Cemetery on Vanderbilt Beach Road, the family gathered at Knight's home to share curry and goat soup and to be together. "I feel like a piece of me is missing," said Michael Maragh, Mills' nephew. "I love him." The two used to go spearfishing together in Jamaica and regularly spent time outdoors. They would talk every day. Mills was the family funnyman. He always smiled and did everything he could to make others smile. "You couldn't be mad at him for more than a minute," said his sister, Rachel Hyatt. He bought himself a used car an olive Chrysler Sebring. A machinist and handyman, Mills wanted to get a stable job and move into a new home with his wife of one year, Lucia Francis-Mills. He had plans and ambition. And while his plans didn't become a reality, his love and legacy are with his siblings, his nephews and nieces, his daughter and his friends. "He was gentle with me when he needed to be, but firm," his daughter, Mills-Hyatt, said. "He taught me how to be a strong, independent woman. How to be a hard worker. I'm supposed to be married in February, and he can't be here to walk me down the aisle or to see his first grandchild." His legacy is also in the home he shared with his mother and sister. The backyard of the house is full of trees and plants he cultivated. "He had a green thumb, he was good with his hands, he fixed things, he worked hard, he cooked, loved his family," said Sonia Lawrence, Mills' niece. "He was a jack of all trades." The U.S. State Department is warning Americans about the high risk of traveling to Cameroon. In particular, the department said, U.S. citizens should avoid all travel to the north regions because of the general threat of violent crime, terrorism and the targeting of Westerners for kidnappings and murder. The terrorist group Boko Haram continues to be a presence in the region. Since July 2015, the group has carried out at least 14 suicide bombings in the north, the State Department reported. The northeastern Nigerian Islamist group has been even more deadly than Islamic State this year. Boko Haram extremists struck the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri for the first time in months last week with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers, witnesses said. U.S. officials remain concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks overseas. Authorities believe there is an increased likelihood of reprisal attacks against U.S., Western and coalition partner interests throughout the world, especially in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and Asia. Italian cities battling heavy smog Bicyclists had free rein of Milan, Italy's streets last week during a six-hour ban on private cars in a bid to alleviate persistent smog. Pollution levels in Italy's business capital have exceeded levels considered healthful for more than 30 days straight, prompting officials to ban private cars during work hours for three days. Officials said private motorists, who risked steep fines, widely respected the ban. Rome, which is also battling smog, has been enforcing alternate-day driving based on odd and even license-plate numbers, while Florence has limited automobile access to the historic center. De Klerk assails Oxford statue campaign Nobel Peace Prize winner and South Africa's last apartheid President F.W. de Klerk criticized as "folly" a campaign to remove from Oxford University a statue of British colonialist Cecil John Rhodes. "It is regrettable that the 'Rhodes Must Fall' folly has spread from South Africa to Oriel College," De Klerk wrote in a letter to the British newspaper the Times. Oriel College at Oxford University is reviewing whether to leave the statue in place after receiving a petition from the Rhodes Must Fall movement, the college said in a statement last month. Rhodes attended Oriel College and left 2% of his estate to the school on his death in 1902. "We do not commemorate historic figures for their ability to measure up to current conceptions of political correctness, but because of their actual impact on history," wrote De Klerk. "Rhodes, for better or for worse, certainly had an impact on history." Justin Bieber defers top spot to a charity song The National Health Service Choir has beaten Justin Bieber to capture Britain's official Christmas No. 1 song and he's OK with that. The Canadian pop star's "Love Yourself" was ahead until Bieber tweeted that he wanted fans to "do the right thing" and boost the charity version of the s ingle to the coveted spot. The NHS, founded in 1948, is a source of national pride for many Britons. The choir said, "It's a brilliant celebration for the NHS across the country, so well done and thank you everyone." Proceeds will go to several health-related charities. Sources: U.S. State Department, staff reports, Associated Press. travel@latimes.com Source: State Department warns that Cameroon is a high-risk travel destination for U.S. citizens Hillary Clinton, right, speaks to Bernie Sanders during a break at the Democratic presidential primary debate Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) SHARE Republican presidential candidates, from left, John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, and Rand Paul appear during the CNBC Republican presidential debate at the University of Colorado, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) David Albers/Staff - Veronica Vidaurri, top center, stands for a portrait with her daughters and granddaughters on Monday, April 8, 2013, in Naples. Vidaurri is an undocumented worker from Mexico who is traveling to Washington D.C. to participate in an immigration reform march on Wednesday. Commissioner Georgia Hiller speaks to attorney Anthony Pires as commissioners discuss a lawsuit brought against the county manager and purchasing director by the county clerk during a meeting on April 28, 2015. (Carolina Hidalgo/Staff) A view from the street of the Continental building on Fifth Avenue South seen on Thursday, November 20, 2014. The Continental has five condominiums on the top floor of the building. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) Welcome to the silly season or the 2016 election year, if you prefer. It's time again to take a look ahead at the people or issues expected to make headlines in 2016. Politics will almost certainly take center stage this year (we're looking at you, Donald Trump). In March, Floridians could help bring some needed clarity to the so far unpredictable presidential race. We'll also have a handful of pivotal local elections this year that could change the face of local boards. But it's not all politics we're keeping an eye on at the Daily News. We could see another arrest in 2015's most intriguing Southwest Florida crime story. State legislation regulating fracking is a real possibility. And will this be the year the region's home prices come back to Earth? Here are 10 to watch in 2016, as chosen by Daily News editors: Presidential candidates Hillary, Bernie, Jeb!, Rubio, Carson, Cruz, the Donald get ready to see a lot of them, both on television and in person. After more than a year of candidacy announcements, fiery debates, outlandish promises and political red meat, Floridians will finally head to the polls on March 15 when the state holds its presidential primary election. During the last two presidential election cycles, Florida moved its primary date up to January to enhance the state's role in the nomination process. This year Florida, is playing by the rules and waiting until March. Florida will still have plenty of sway, especially on the Republican side where the state's 99 delegates will all be awarded to a single candidate in the winner-take-all primary. And just remember, you get to do it all over again for the Nov. 8 general election. Mark Sievers The biggest unanswered question from 2015's most captivating crime story: will Mark Sievers be charged with a crime in connection with his wife's killing? Investigators arrested two Missouri men, Curtis Wayne Wright Jr. and Jimmy Ray Rodgers, on second degree murder charges in connection with the June killing of Dr. Teresa Sievers in her Bonita Springs home. But court records released in December show that investigators believe Mark Sievers orchestrated the killing, and planned to pay Wright, a longtime friend, for the attack. Will he remain a free man? What will happen with the couple's two daughters? Barnett vs. Sorey Two Naples political heavyweights will go head-to-head on March 15 in a mayoral race that promises to be one of the most competitive city elections in recent memory. Bill Barnett is the longest-serving member of the Naples City Council, including three terms as mayor. Sitting Mayor John Sorey, who has held the job since 2012, is the second longest-tenured council member in Naples history. The two men agree on most issues. This race will likely come down to style: Barnett's more laid back approach or Sorey's more hands-on style. Middle-income homebuyers Will more Southwest Florida middle-income homebuyers be able to afford their slice of the American dream? The region's home prices continued to increase in 2015, with both the Naples and Fort Myers markets seeing some of the nation's fastest growth. The skyrocketing prices have left many interested buyers on the sidelines, and have squeezed families. Some experts say the price increases we've seen aren't healthy or sustainable. Fort Myers witnesses Gun violence spiked in Fort Myers in 2015, receiving national attention when a man was shot and killed at the annual ZombiCon event. That killing, like so many others in the city, remains unsolved. Police have upped their downtown patrols and teamed with Lee County deputies in a task force to combat violent crime. But what they need more than anything is help from Fort Myers residents who too frequently are intimidated by criminals and afraid to come forward to report what they know. Will 2016 see a breakthrough in the city's efforts to dismantle the "snitching" stigma? Frackers Oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing have been top of mind in Southwest Florida ever since a Texas-based company performed an unauthorized procedure at a well near Immokalee in 2014. Bonita Springs and Estero councils both banned fracking last year, but regulatory bills introduced in the state Legislature by Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, and Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, would remove local control. The two leaders say their bills are the most practical means of regulating new oil drilling technology, but are they enough to prevent future drilling scares? Anti-drilling activists say no. The undocumented The fate of the nation's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants could depend on who wins the presidency this year. Donald Trump vowed to deport them all. Hillary Clinton wants to provide them with a pathway to citizenship. The rest of the presidential candidates seem to fall somewhere between those two positions. The U.S. Supreme Court could also have a say in 2016 after a federal court ruled against a series of the Obama administration's executive orders meant to shield millions of immigrants from deportation. Brock vs. Commissioners A legal battle that has dragged on over a year and cost Collier taxpayers millions could be decided as early as February. This latest dust up pits Collier Clerk Dwight Brock against county commissioners over who has the power to spend public money. Collier is one of many Florida counties where commissioners allow their county manager to make some payments without direct commission approval in Collier's case it's for purchases under $50,000. Brock said only the elected commissioners can legally spend public money, and at one point last year blocked $5.6 million in vendor payments. He sued commissioners. They countersued. Their case, which could have statewide implications, is set for trial Feb. 24. Chairs and rears Several political chairs will have new occupants in 2016, which could mean drastic changes to local boards. Kathleen Curatolo's seat could tip control of the Collier County School Board to a new majority, some of whom are critical of present district leadership. Tom Henning's seat is drawing a plethora of candidates for an election that could give new direction to the Collier County Commission. And is Georgia Hiller really going to give up a safe seat on the commission to make a run for the state House? Speaking of state offices, candidates are lining up to replace Garrett Richter in the Senate, including Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, who is giving up her House seat, and Rep. Matt Hudson, who is term-limited. Downtown Naples developers Downtown Naples could have a decidedly different look and feel in 2016 and beyond if local developers have their way. Developer Phil McCabe, who has already left his mark on downtown with the recently-expanded Inn on Fifth and Avenue 5 restaurant, has proposed a new three-story mixed-use building with underground parking on Fifth Avenue South. Another owner is pushing a project to redevelop the old St. George and the Dragon building on Fifth Avenue South. McCabe also proposed a four-building project that would bring a new hotel and condos to Fourth Avenue. Not everyone is enthused. McCabe's mixed-use building would raze three downtown restaurants and at least two other businesses, leaving their workers unemployed and eliminating more than 100 outdoor dining seats. Could a court challenge filed in late December halt the project? SHARE JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A Jacksonville man is facing a 120-year sentence for firing two shots that caused no injuries, The Florida Times-Union reported on Sunday. The trial of Army Veteran Randal Ratledge, 58, is scheduled to start with jury selection on Monday. Defense attorneys have asked the judge to waive the mandatory guidelines, but court officials said Judge Jack Schemer is bound by the state law. Ratledge, 58, was charged with six counts of aggravated assault after a 2012 incident involving his neighbors. Authorities said Rutledge fired shots in the air and screamed profanities at the six neighbors. He was charged with one count of aggravated assault on each of the neighbors. Under Florida's 10-20-Life law, anyone convicted of a crime involving the firing of a gun gets a prison sentence of at least 20 years. Defense attorneys say Ratledge had a bad reaction to the sleep medication Ambien and didn't know what he was doing when he threatened the neighbors. "The problem with our system now is judges have no discretion," defense attorney Bill Sheppard said. "Prosecutors decide the sentence, not judges." Sheppard said Ratledge would be willing to plead guilty if prosecutors would allow the judge to impose a lesser sentence. Sheppard said the best offer Ratledge has gotten is 18 years in prison. He said that would likely amount to a life sentence for someone Ratledge's age. According to police reports, Ratledge was talking with friends and neighbors near his home in August 2012 when he went into the house and came back with a gun. He fired a shot in the air, then ran at the people outside screaming profanities while firing a second shot in their direction. State attorney spokeswoman Jackelyn Barnard said prosecutors have been in discussions with defense attorneys over the case. "While we cannot get into specifics pretrial, the state has considered all options, which include waiving the 20-year minimum mandatory," Barnard said. Pam Bondi [CHRIS ZUPPA, Times] SHARE By Arek Sarkissian of the Naples Daily News Naples Daily News/Tribune Bureau TALLAHASSEE With evidence from 13,435 untested Florida rape kits in a holding pattern, the state agency responsible for processing them said Monday it could cost $9.3 million for a private vendor to perform the work. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement revealed that 41 percent of the untested kits cases were never turned over to FDLE for testing because the victim did not wish to prosecute, and another 31 percent did not move forward because prosecutors declined to file criminal charges. The FDLE report was compiled with the help of a survey that included input from 279 law enforcement agencies around the state. The Collier County Sheriff's Office reported it had 40 rape kits that had not been tested. Eileen Wesley, with rape victims' advocacy group Project Help, said those cases were from more than a decade ago from victims who did not wish to move forward. Also, the kits were used before the Collier County Sheriff's Office updated its policy to submit all kits for testing. "From the perspective of a rape crisis center, we want to see justice," Wesley said. "And even if the survivor did not want to come forward, there's a chance that DNA sample may line up with someone afterward." Wesley said the statewide call to test the kits will also provide victims with the courage to come forward. "And maybe it will get people to think before something happens," she said. "Maybe they'll think twice and say, 'Maybe this person is too drunk.'" Data provided by FDLE's annual crime report showed an increase in sexual assaults, an increase driven in part by law enforcement agencies pursuing difficult acquaintance rape cases. Due to that trend, the number of sexual assault kits used to collect evidence from victims doubled over the past four years. Data included in the FDLE study showed the agency received 2,239 kit submissions in 2012, and 4,829 submissions in 2015. FDLE proposed hiring an outside company to process up to 2,800 sexual assault kits each year and then use its own staff to check the work for quality. The plan would pare down the backlog of more than 13,000 untested sexual assault kits that have yet to be submitted by hundreds of law enforcement agencies around Florida. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement responding to the report she would work with lawmakers, law enforcement and victims' rights advocates to allocate necessary resources. In August, Bondi called on FDLE to process more sexual assault kits and to bring more suspects to justice. In response, the Legislature provided FDLE with $300,000 to create the assessment. The study provided the Legislature with three options to reduce the backlog. One would use $32 million to reduce the backlog in eight and a half years by hiring a company to process burglary cases requiring DNA analysis. Another option, which would reduce the backlog in six and a half years, would cost $23 million to hire vendors for both burglary cases and rape kits, with a $1.2 million grant from the New York District Attorney's Office to process 1,776 rape kits from FDLE's Jacksonville regional lab. The third option, which FDLE recommends, would combine the grant from the New York District Attorney's Office and $8.1 million in state money to hire a vendor to process 2,800 sexual assault kits per year, reducing the backlog in about three years. A vendor that would carry out the testing has not yet been chosen, FDLE officials said. Bondi has argued that the Legislature should consider providing more money to FDLE's six regional crime labs. The report includes a request that lawmakers consider paying crime analysts better so they no longer leave to take jobs in county agencies or in the private sector. Indian River Crime Lab Director Lesley Perrone said her agency, which serves the Treasure Coast, has hired FDLE analysts and they lose analysts as well. "It's certainly unfortunate when you think about the amount of training involved, only to have them leave," Perrone said. The Indian River Crime Lab currently faces a backlog of about 500 DNA cases, which fluctuates with case load and the priority of a case. "We tend to put sexual assault cases higher in priority than others," she said. The results of the study will go before the Florida Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice, where its vice chair, Sen. Arthenia Joyner, said she would support its recommendation. "It's going to cost a lot of money but we've got to do it," said Joyner, a Tampa Democrat. "When it comes to public safety, we've got to put that at No. 1." Contact Daily News reporter arek.sarkissian@naplesnews.com or 850-559-7620 SHARE Irene Ketover, Naples Goodbye 2015 I have always appealed for educating ourselves and being able to give an intelligent response to some inaccurate and downright false letters and statements. I thank the writer(s) who have appreciated the thankless job that President Obama has done, despite the lack of any support from the Republican do-nothing Congress. The misinformation includes blaming President Obama (who asked for a 1.3 percent raise for federal workers) for the lack of increase in Social Security benefits and holding the Democratic administration at fault. The cost of living determines the amount of Social Security benefits. Actuaries determine the action, citing of all things the low cost of gasoline. Another misinformed writer is affronted that some writers compare Donald Trump to Hitler, citing FDR's refusal to allow 6,500 Jews to land on our shores. "Hitler may have forced the exodus of Jews," the letter stated. News flash for the uninformed writer Hitler murdered 6 million Jews and 2 million non-Jews. That is very far from a forced exodus. The 6,500 Jews who were turned away found a welcoming country to accept them, Costa Rica, another democracy in Central America. They were absorbed into society and most have remained and flourished over 75 years. Amazing that these responses are to letters published on the same day. My prayers go out to all for a happy and peaceful new year. SHARE James Hoover, Naples It's about rights The recent letter headlined "Read it, repeal it" by John Butcher is just the latest in a string of letters by shortsighted writers calling for the repeal of the Second Amendment to the Constitution based on their interpretation of the language. However, in order to understand the intent of the framers, you need to read the Federalist Papers. The Constitution was drafted around a central premise: to ensure the rights of individual citizens. The Second Amendment language clearly states: "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed." (Emphasis on people.) George Mason defined a militia as "the whole people except for a few public officials." In other words, armed private citizens of the U.S. constitute the militia. Contrary to the liberal revisionism, the Second Amendment was not included in the Bill of Rights to protect the rights of hunters and sport shooters, or to provide protection from the criminal elements of society. It was enshrined in the Constitution to protect individual citizens from a more nefarious entity, our own government. The framers wanted to ensure that the government was afraid of the people. Maybe those advocating for the repeal of the Second Amendment should ponder the consequences of their proposal. What do you think will happen if the government tries to confiscate nearly a billion privately owned guns? Do you really think the people will just surrender their arms voluntarily? Consider the widespread armed confrontations that would occur. SHARE E.L. "Bud" Ruff, Naples Presidential choices? After watching the last Republican debate, I am convinced most candidates aren't educated. 1. Sen. Ted Cruz: He stated President Clinton deported 12 million illegal immigrants while in office (An AP fact-check article says it actually was 870,000) and said President Bush deported 10 million, but the fact-check says it was around 1.6 million. President Obama deported more than either, approximately 2.4 million so far. Cruz also stated he would carpet-bomb all areas controlled by ISIS, not caring about the hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians living under the control of these sadists. He must be the most disliked man in Congress. 2. Gov. Chris Christie: Said he would tell King Hussein of Jordan how to run his country, except the old king has been dead since 1999. He said President Obama invited Russia into Syria, but Russia has had a naval base in Tartus (Syria) since 1971. He would shoot down Russian planes over Syria; that's likely to start World War III. 3. Ben Carson: Good surgeon, but otherwise not as smart as a fifth-grader. He believes the Egyptian pyramids were built for grain storage. He's against social programs, even though members of his family received food stamps, Medicaid and were raised in public housing (Detroit). He benefited from affirmative action and received medical grant aid from U.S. Public Health Service. That's hypocritical. 4. Donald Trump: We already know this man is a fascist and ego-maniac. He is against immigration reform and Muslims. Now he thinks he can shut down the Internet wherever he wants. Of course, ISIS is watching and listening to Trump, as can the whole world. Encore Bank is pleased to announce that William Turner has joined the bank as Vice President, Branch Administration. In this role, Turner will work with all six of Encores branch teams to assist them with operational functions, as well as the implementation of Encores sales and client service initiatives. Turner comes to Encore Bank with more than 17 years of banking experience as a commercial lender, credit underwriter, branch manager and corporate trainer. He has spent the last 13 years in banking here in Southwest Florida. He is a graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in Public Relations. Turner is active within the community, having served in such roles as President of the Southwest Florida Gator Club, Lee County Chair for the March of Dimes March for Babies, President of the Edison Festival of Light, and with the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools Golden Apple Teacher selection committee. Encore Bank CEO Tom Ray said, Bill brings a great amount of banking experience to Encore Bank. His many years in various positions within the banking industry will be a tremendous asset to Encore Bank and our clients. Turners office is located at 4450 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. Encore Bank has six convenient locations, including two branches in Naples at 3003 Tamiami Trail North and 2370 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Bonita Springs at 4450 Bonita Beach Road, Fort Myers at 7920 Summerlin Lakes Dr., Port Charlotte at 2120 Kings Highway, and Sun City Center at 1653 Sun City Center Plaza. For more information, call 239-919-5888 or 239-594-3177 in Naples, 239-495-0243 in Bonita Springs, 239-278-5505 in Fort Myers, 941-258-3055 in Port Charlotte, or 813-634-8001 in Sun City Center, or visit www.encorebank.com. Member FDIC Long-time Naples resident Clay W. Cone is proud to announce the 10th anniversary of Cone Communications Company, a full-service agency providing media relations, strategic communications, public relations and marketing. The Naples-based firm specializes in serving the needs of small to mid-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Cone has over 25 years of experience in the communications field in Southwest Florida. Prior to forming Cone Communications in 2006, Cone served as Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications for TIB Financial Corp., the parent company of TIB Bank. Before that, he was Vice President and Director of Corporate Communications for First National Bankshares of Florida, a $5.6 billion financial services company headquartered in Naples. Prior to his career in public relations, Cone was a Senior Business Writer for the Naples Daily News. While with the newspaper, he earned numerous state and national awards in recognition of his reporting. Before that, he was a Business Reporter for the Clearwater Sun. Cone earned a Bachelors Degree in Journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Cone has been actively involved in a number of local civic and charitable organizations, including the Greater Naples Little League, Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce and the Naples Children & Education Foundation (Naples Winter Wine Festival). He currently serves as a Director and Past President of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Gulf Coast Chapter and is a graduate of the Leadership Collier program. He also has been appointed by the Board of Collier County Commissioners to serve on the Educational Facilities Authority and serves on the Junior Achievement, Southwest Florida Hall of Fame Advisory Board. In 2004, Cone was recognized among Gulfshore Business magazines 40-under-40 professionals. For additional information on Cone Communications Company and the firms comprehensive services, contact Clay W. Cone at 239-262-8229 or send an e-mail to cone3@earthlink.net. January is National Mentoring Month, and signing up to be a mentor is a rewarding way to begin the new year. An adult mentor who spends only an hour a week with a mentee can dramatically change the life of a young person. The Immokalee Foundation is seeking mentors for middle school students who soon will be inducted into their Take Stock in Children scholarship program. Mentors are matched with seventh-grade students who officially enter the TIF program during an induction ceremony at Immokalee High School in April. During the event, the students pledge to maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA, exhibit good behavior, remain crime- and drug-free, and meet with their mentors once a week until they graduate from high school. In exchange, they each receive a scholarship to a Florida college or university. A large part of TIFs Take Stock in Children students success is the mentoring program; more than 80 mentors now share their time, talent and experience to encourage Immokalee students. These adults open up the world, making the future look so much brighter to their young mentees. As a result of TIFs programs and the involvement of caring mentors, 97 percent of TIFs students in the Take Stock in Children program graduate from high school, compared with 57 percent of all Immokalee High School students. Often, mentors find the opportunity every bit as rewarding as the students. The Immokalee Foundation provides a range of education programs that focus on building pathways to success through college and post-secondary preparation and support, mentoring and tutoring, opportunities for broadening experiences, and life skills development leading to economic independence. To learn more about TIF, volunteering as a mentor or for additional information, call 239-430-9122 or visit www.immokaleefoundation.org. 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The ruling in Quicken Loans v. United States means the case will be heard in a U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., instead of Detroit, Quicken's hometown. "This temporary procedural setback does not deter Quicken Loans from exposing the truth about the DOJ's egregious attempts to coerce unjust settlements from its victims including Quicken Loans by using the guise of the heavy hand and power of the federal government in doing so," said Bill Emerson, chief executive of Quicken Loans, in a statement. The Justice Department was preparing to sue Quicken Loans in April of last year for alleged shoddy underwriting of hundreds of Federal Housing Administration-insured single-family loans and pursuing civil penalties of between $5,500 and $11,000 for each under the False Claims Act. But Quicken filed a preemptive lawsuit against DOJ in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleging the government had "retroactively changed its process of evaluating loans" in pursuing settlements with FHA lenders. On Dec. 31, U.S. district court judge Mark Goldsmith found that "Quicken's complaint was filed for the purpose of acquiring a favorable forum." He did not give a ruling on the merits of Quicken's complaint. While there "may have been settlement demands" by DOJ, the judge indicated in his Dec. 31 decision, "Quicken has not yet been deprived of any property interest and it will have an opportunity to be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner prior to any actual deprivation." In a statement issued by Quicken Loans, the company said it "intends to explore its options in its claims against the government while fighting to defeat the government's retaliatory lawsuit wrongly alleging that Quicken Loans violated the False Claims Act related to a minuscule cherry-picked sample of loans Quicken Loans originated with FHA insurance." Quicken Loans is still hoping to get the case moved to Detroit. "We are confident that judge Reggie Walton of the Federal District Court in Washington will recognize that the proper venue for consideration of the government's allegations is Detroit," Emerson said. Jokowi (pictured here in contemplative pose)) has to walk a fine line on the issue of allowing Papuans a plebiscite which could threaten to break up the unitary state of Indonesia. Papuan leaders have been calling for a referendum to decide the provinces future since the Papuan Spring of 2000. INDONESIAN intelligence agencies went into overdrive in recent days to cushion the spillover effects anticipating an announcement by President Joko (Jokowi) Widodo during this weeks visit to West Papua that he will offer a referendum to decide the future of the Melanesian province. There are other secessionist movements seeking to separate from Indonesia in 17 other regions of the Indonesian Archipelago, and the referendum option for West Papua to decide its political future and separate from Indonesia could create momentum for other regions to follow suit. According to a security assessment, which faults President Jokowi for accommodating Papuan aspirations for selfdetermination, the promise of a referendum formed Jokowis main campaign platform in West Papua during the Indonesian presidential elections. Political analyst Arbi Muslims has confirmed the policy shift is already in the pipeline. "If you look at it, the referendum proposal had been circulated when Joko Widodo built his presidential campaign on the promise for a referendum for Papuans, he told Indonesian national security organs last July. President Jokowi is trying to prove something now. His solution to deal with outstanding issues at the time came down to the promise of referendum for Papua." Calls for a referendum picked up a lot of momentum in the highlands of West Papua when Papuans took President Jokowis word that, after he got elected, they would decide their own political future to continue as part of Indonesia or to separate. The calls for referendum for Papua are final, and Indonesia must anticipate turmoil if the option for referendum is delayed or denied any further," Arbi Muslims said. However he added that Jokowi was yet to clarify the conditions of his offer and the ramifications for Indonesia. "President Jokowi should provide the details and clarify the deal reached with Papuans in return for the outstanding issues affecting West Papua to be resolved through the promise of referendum, he said. The Indonesian Parliament has yet to resolve how to deal with the West Papua issue and says it does not have enough information on the referendum. But according to Arbi Muslims, the Indonesian parliament needs to move fast. Papua is a very sensitive issue and many foreign interests are stakeholders in the Papua Conflict, and are manipulating the outcome, he said. For example, the United States has economic interests which are best served by having Indonesias occupation continue in West Papua and keep it as part of Indonesia because of the great wealth of natural resources. West Papua has the largest tract of rain forest outside the Amazon, the worlds largest gold and copper deposit and it has one of the worlds largest natural gas deposits. But West Papuans are not reaping the benefits from this economic development. They are among the poorest people in Indonesia as are their health standards, including a huge HIV epidemic. Indonesia is not taking care of the West Papuan people, who have been struggling for self-determination for 54 years in circumstances where its one of the worlds forgotten conflicts. The history of West Papua and its long struggle for self-determination from Indonesia is a story of failed decolonisation. In the 1960s, West Papua was due to be given independence as a former Dutch colony. Then Indonesia invaded. As a result of negotiations between the US, the Netherlands and Indonesia, Indonesia was to take custody of the territory on condition it gave a vote for self-determination. That vote for self-determination took place in 1969 in sham circumstances where a handful of West Papuan leaders were forced to vote under threat of violence. Since becoming part of Indonesia against their will and in breach of international law, the West Papuan people have suffered widespread human rights abuses. It is now 2015, and President Obamas record on the West Papua issue continues to fall short of the expectations of Papuans. He recalls in his book, Dreams of My Father, the stories his stepfather told him about the oppression of the West Papuan people. And he took lessons from that. His stepfather had said to him, "If you cant be strong, find friends to be strong, because stronger people will take your land and take your women and take your resources." Obama has direct personal experience of how devastating the Indonesian military occupation was through his own stepfather. When he came into the presidency, Obama said, because of his experience, that he would be able to say things to Indonesia that other leaders had not been able to. But on West Papua, he has failed. Yet, as the country that brokered the deal between Indonesia and the Dutch which sealed West Papuas fate as part of Indonesia, the US has a historical duty to do the right thing Jokowi is courting the destruction of his own nation if the referendum option for West Papua is put away. West Papuas history of integration into Indonesia stands to be rectified. The evidence of Indonesias failure to formalise the decolonisation thesis after the Dutch left demands a verdict today. There had hardly been free and fair voting in past elections and it is most unlikely there will be in 2017. All the good things we have talked about for 2017 and beyond, including our dream of a good and honest government that will steer PNG out of troubled waters, boils down to this one crucial factor free and fair voting. ONE of the major challenges for Papua New Guineas Electoral Commission and for its voters in the coming 2017 national election that the ballot should be free and fair. The bribery, hold ups, hijacking of ballot papers, threats, coercion and multiple voting experienced in the past are likely to be repeated next year unless the Electoral Commission comes up with a strategy that will contain or minimise these problems and produce a free and fair election. Two important approaches that come to my mind involve biometric electioneering and security. The Electoral Commission talked about biometric electioneering (e-voting) some time ago and it appears to me as the fairest way for people to cast their votes freely without intimidation or fear. The system creates equal opportunity for everybody to exercise their right to vote. Furthermore, it deters and insulates against the violence involved in hijacking ballot papers and other foul play and discrepancies as there are good checks and balances. This means an honest outcome. Unfortunately e-voting is probably not going to be employed in the coming election because of time limitation as it will involve training, awareness, biometric registration and so forth. Adding to the lack of time is lack of funding. The system will demand a lot of money and, in the economic crisis the country is facing, the government will not be willing to spend the cash. The Electoral Commission has already been complaining about underfunding for election preparations. They have publicly voiced that they are not sure how well they are going to get everything ready under current budget constraints. The second option for a free and fair election is to heighten security especially in violent and trouble-prone polling locations, most of which are in the highlands. Polling in coastal areas and urban centres has been quite peaceful and orderly in the past. But in the highlands, especially rural areas, it has been violent and aggressive and involving the use of firearms. The chance of such scenario being repeated in 2017 is high. The most reliable way to stop it is to deploy the army to oversee and provide security for polling officials and voters. The 2007 election was said to be generally peaceful and orderly in the highlands and elsewhere because the military was deployed in polling places alongside police and correctional personnel. People were afraid of getting bashed up by the armed forces and behaved well and cast their votes in an orderly way. It had been different in 2012. Violence, hijacking of ballot papers, gang control and juvenile voting were prevalent because there was a lack of security. Polling in some highlands electorates was declared void because of this. Women, old people and disabled people were pushed aside. They were not given the opportunity to vote. I believe the Electoral Commission knows the likely trouble spots. And these are the areas that require a heavy presence of army and other disciplined forces to supervise and control polling so every eligible voter - including women, the old and disabled people - can cast their votes and do so freely. If we want credible and honest people with qualifications, experience and vision to get into parliament to run the countrys affairs, polling must be free, fair, peaceful and orderly without any form of duress and intimidation. Can this happen in 2017? My prediction is that, if the government does not deploy the army to control and provide security, 2017 will offer us a flawed election. We will have desperados using tactics like duress, intimidation and hijacking ballot papers to vote themselves into parliament and get rich. Bill Nye joins the Monsanto circus Bill Nye: "You cannot be certain what will happen to the ecosystem" (NaturalNews) Bill Nye has just joined with Monsanto to push GMOs. He's basically recanted all of his former warnings about GMOs, even though for years he used to question -- and urged others to do the same -- what was in his food. His change of heart stems from a meeting he had with the folks at Monsanto.Now, all has changed on the "teach the children" front, where Bill Nye the "Science Guy" has switched his stance, proclaiming his apparent new GMO love affair, exclaiming that "when you're in love, you want to tell the world." Whatever that means.Everyone now has the responsibility to look at these "circus" endorsements and their front men and decide if they want to continue supporting anything people like this have to say in the future. Tell your kids. If you're a teacher, inform your students. If you're a school administrator, step up to the plate and have intelligent discussions with entire school systems about healthy food choices. Bill Nye is now the "Corporate Fraud Science Guy," nothing more than a talking head who now propagates GMOs.Is Nye becoming the next Neil deGrasse Tyson, who thinks GMOs have been around forever and that you should just eat what's given to you and shut up? This may also remind you of Jon Entine, another shill who propagates GMO myths and has ties to Monsanto.But back to the meeting Nye had with the folks at Monsanto. Looks like he came out of the depths of Monsanto's headquarters after talking with scientists there and has been crowned a champion! After his visit, Monsanto even tweeted a picture of Nye surrounded by others from the GMO-loving company, saying, "Thanks @BillNye for visit & advancing#science understanding. Look forward to more discussion!"It's as simple as that. Corn and soy should cover each child's lunch tray at school. No child should have to multiple choice test their way to the working world without first eating pesticide-filled food from grade school through high school. Kids, just read the literature with pictures of the science shill, who propagates a myth he was once opposed to.Little men in white lab coats and their cohorts mix the genes of bug-killing organisms in their vials and figure out how to kill weeds with toxins that start out growing inside the seeds. At Monsanto's research and development labs, scientists are hard at work producing cancer-causing foods that they believe could help the planet somehow.Genetically mutated Frankenfood has been shown to kill baby lab rats in one month. How long will your good health last eating this Bill Nye-endorsed freak food? What's in your corn and soy? Do you need to ask, or has Bill Nye already taken care of all of that for you? Because last time we checked, Nye was asking questions. Now it seems the question he wants most answered is "How much will Monsanto continue to pay me?"Understandably, Nye has received critical backlash in light of his new stance about GMOs. Once the admired man who warned of GMO dangers decades ago, he's now getting chummy with Monsanto , almost giddy. His post-Monsanto meeting declaration about being in love and wanting to tell the world has worried many who have questioned his intentions on various social media outlets.On Reddit.com, for example, he declared the following:Ah, so when you're not sure about what might happen to the ecosystem, it's best to trust those who seek to upset its fragility? Not being certain about something means it's time to throw our arms in the air and let others toy with our foods and poison our bodies? Obviously, his glossed-over response, complete with deflections about "malnourished fat people," is ludicrous.So, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to forget about Nye. He's a corporate fraud science guy, all buddy-buddy with the likes of Neil deGrasse Tyson and Jon Entine (who committed domestic violence and child abuse, by the way). They're a trio of science propaganda liars.Make sure to tell your kids about this. Then, find organic food and make sure that's what you consume. Read the labels on everything you buy that you might eat, drink or put on your skin, teeth, hair or nails.Question everything, and don't trust those who change their minds about a topic they once warned of, putting the public's health in grave danger. Time was killer for nearly 1,000 allied troops in Iraq and Afghanistan Two stage process designed to create optimal survivability conditions Department of Defense providing funding for the research (NaturalNews) The Defense Department is working to develop a battlefield "hibernation" procedure for wounded troops so that the critical element of time can be mitigated to the advantage of the soldier.According to the, the Pentagon is working with Dr. Geoffrey Dobson, an Australian researcher with Queensland's James Cook University and the Division of Tropical Health and Medicine to develop hibernation "drugs" that are capable of essentially rewiring "the body's natural response to trauma so that deployed troops have enough time to get their injured comrades to medical attention.""During the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 87 percent of all deaths among allied soldiers occurred in the first 30 minutes, before they could get to a hospital," Dr. Dobson said during an interview with an Australian news website in recent days."Nearly a quarter of these, almost a thousand people, were classified as having potentially survivable wounds. Time was the killer," he said. "The idea of our research is to save that thousand lives.""The first 10 minutes after a troop is shot or wounded in an explosion are the most critical," Dobson said.The Times further reported, citing Dobson's research:"Our treatment cancels out the shock and puts them in a low-blood pressure, hibernation-like state. You want to dial-in the right blood pressure to prevent further blood loss but high enough to keep the major organs, including the brain, going," Dobson told the Australian news site.The emergency drug therapy is designed to be given in two stages; it will direct some 100 milliliters of medication into the wounded troop's veins or blood marrow. That will reduce the need for immediate large transfusions of blood or other fluids, to replace what has been lost, which can then shock the body a second time.According toShot one is intended to kick-start the heart in the critical first few minutes after a severe wounded.Shot two is aimed at reprogramming the soldier's metabolism into hibernation mode, buying enough time to allow an emergency evacuation."You want to stabilize the system because of the long retrieval times in forward areas for these special operations soldiers," said Dobson. "We increase the blood pressure to a low 'optimal' level sufficient for survival, we reduce inflammation and we correct the blood coagulation - stop it getting thinner."The lower, but nonetheless sufficient, blood pressure will also work to protect and preserve brain tissue if that organ has also been injured, Dobson said."The problem is, after a soldier suffers catastrophic blood loss and brain injury, what is a good treatment for the body is not good for the brain and vice versa. If you aim for too high a blood pressure, the casualty will bleed to death, and if you aim too low the brain will be irreversibly damaged," he said, as reported by Britain'snewspaper.Initial studies and trials have been very promising, the Australian researcher said; that has prompted the Pentagon to want to fast-track the drug to the battlefield.The two-drug treatment can also be of service to paramedic and ambulance services in remote, rural areas, in Australia and elsewhere, Dobson insists. It will serve to stabilize traumatically injured patients who must be transported great distances to urban-located treatment centers.The Pentagon, impressed with the results of the initial research, has granted Dobson's team $550,000 to perfect the treatment. The Australian researcher says he hopes to have the experimental drugs ready to deploy within a year.U.S. Special Operations Command is particularly interested in the hibernation treatment technique.As further reported by theSources: (NaturalNews) 2015 was a dark year for journalists around the world. Heeding the call of confrontation, journalists are standing directly in harm's way, doing very important work in a time of extremes. What's most shocking is that journalists are becoming targets not only in war zones, but also in countries that were once considered safe zones. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 110 journalists were slain in 2015, and a staggering number of those deaths took place in "peaceful" countries. In fact, two-thirds of the deaths took place in places regarded as safe, an extreme shift from the year before, when two-thirds of journalist deaths occurred in war zones.The annual RSF report found that 11 were killed in Iraq and 10 in Syria. The world may never truly understand what's going on in the Middle East because the bearers of truth may never be heard shot to pieces as their reports disintegrate in the sand or fall into enemy hands.The RSF warned that "non-state groups" such as jihadists and the Islamic State are beginning to target more journalists than ever before. Eight journalists in France, all connected to a satirical magazine called, were murdered by jihadists.Journalists play an important role in exposing the motivations behind atrocities. They are a brave, powerful force of good to help the world see. Truth telling allows the world to see the most evil motivations so that all life can be protected.Sadly, the truth tellers are the most vulnerable in society and may have to move often, change names and protect themselves in ways that the average person would never understand. The RSF reported that 43 journalists were killed in circumstances that were unclear. Perhaps the journalists got in the way of powerful agendas being carried out by billionaires or government agencies. In India, nine journalists were killed in 2015 because they were reporting organized crime being carried out by politicians and illegal mining operations.Some journalists, like those in France, died at the hands of radical jihadists. "Caught between the various parties to the conflict since 2011, journalists are liable to end up as collateral victims, being taken hostage by a non-state group (such as Islamic State, the Al Nusra Front or the Free Syrian Army) or being arrested by the Assad regime," RSF said.The RSF report also brought attention to thewho may be the most vulnerable, because they are not protected by traditional media organizations. Citizen journalists are also often not beholden to any special interest agenda and may even be at risk of interfering with the official story of a mainstream media organization . Journalism can be hijacked and paid off too, to cover up the truth and make a false narrative sound legitimate . After all, official stories serve one purpose: to protect officials and keep the powerful in power. If a story is repeated enough, it is believed and thus becomes religiously true in the minds of the masses. For example, many minds still believe all vaccines are safe and effective and buy into the hype that vaccines should be required to eradicate viruses."The 110 journalists killed this year need a response that matches the emergency. A special representative of the United Nations secretary-general for the safety of journalists must be appointed without delay," says RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire.Since 2005, a total ofwhile doing their important work. This is not an issue to be passive about.Americans should especially be concerned with the deaths of eight journalists just south of the USMexico border where the US Justice Department was caught running guns to drug cartels. Americans should also be wary of why seven other journalists were killed in Honduras (where the US government supported an illegal, destabilizing coup.)Why aren't we more concerned about this? (NaturalNews) Thousands of Natural News visitors watched live footage of TalkNetwork.com hosts Pete Santilli and Deb Jordan as they streamed coverage of a Jan. 2 rally in Burns, Oregon, in support of ranchers Dwight Hammond, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46 For those who are unfamiliar with their case, the Hammonds were convicted in 2012 under a federal anti-terrorism statute, of committing arson on federal land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. Both were charged in connection with a 2001 fire, and Steven in connection with another fire in 2006. The Hammonds had set backfires a common technique used in rural ranching communities to refresh the soil and clear away dangerous foliage some of which burned federal land adjacent to the land they leased from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).A federal court found them guilty of willful destruction and actually charged them with a violation of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which calls for a minimum sentence of five years in prison. When they were initially convicted, U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan now retired gave them lighter sentences because he did not believe they had exhibited malicious intent.Federal prosecutors appealed Hogan's three-month sentence for Dwight Hammond, and one-year sentence for Steven Hammond which both had served because they were far short of the minimum. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed and ordered them re-sentenced in October, which they duly were. And now, they are required to report to prison Jan. 4, to finish their five-year sentences.Patriot groups and other supporters of the Hammonds say that the Ninth U.S. Court of Appeals violated the Fifth Amendment's prohibition against "double jeopardy" that is, "be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb."Others have suggested that perhaps there is another element at play a religious element, in particular. Like, what if the Hammonds were a part of a politically protected religious and ethnic group?Natural News editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, laid it out clearly."If the Hammond family were of Muslim faith, the entire mainstream media would be screaming about how ridiculous this terrorism charge is," he said. "But solely because they are white people living a rural lifestyle, they are condemned by the media and largely ignored even as they face the extreme tyranny of an unjust federal government gone bad."In fact, as evidenced by the live stream supplied by Santilli and Jordan, the only "mainstream media" seen in hours of coverage monitored by Natural News was a news team from, which filed this story As the protect and resultant march by patriots and supporters proceeded through the streets of Burn, there were no calls for violence, no rioting or looting, no threats or intimidation and, noted at one point by Jordan no massive police presence. In fact, she said she hadn't seen one officer the entire time.And yet, the Hammonds have been portrayed, literally, as "terrorists" because of accidentally burning some federal land - using a technique that the BLM itself has utilizedthough no one was ever charged or held responsible.Can you imagine a Muslim family being charged thusly for a fire that, say, got out of hand at a campsite on federal land? Those happen all the time.This may sound like apples and oranges, but really the point of this piece is to point out the hypocrisy of the politically correct Left-wing mainstream media , which has gone out of its way to protect Muslims in an age where adherents to the Islamic faith have used it as an excuse to kill Americans (you know -terrorism).Sources: Political left full of rage and violence against white people (and gun owners in particular) If the Oregon activists peacefully stand down now, they're already achieved a huge victory This event has unveiled the extreme violence and genocidal tendencies of the political left in America (NaturalNews) The number of conservative and patriot voices calling for the armed Oregon activists to stand down is rapidly growing today, with Ted Cruz now asking the protesters to "stand down peaceably." Oath Keepers has also publicly stated that the Hammond family "does not want an armed standoff and nobody has the right to force one on them."Even though the armed ranchers have committed no violence, no arson, no vandalism and no acts of violence whatsoever, nearly the entire leftist media is now referring to them as "terrorists." Keep in mind that when Black Lives Matter protesters set fire to buildings in Ferguson and Baltimore, the media never referred to them as "terrorists." Even when two Muslims murdered office workers in San Bernardino, the leftist media went out of its way to avoid referring to them as "terrorists," instead ridiculously claiming the event was simply "workplace violence."But when Oregon ranchers camp out on public lands while legally carrying rifles on their shoulders, suddenly every leftist media outlet and insane leftist talking head is calling for them to be shot and slaughtered by the federal government. Montel Williams, for example, shamelessly Tweeted "put this down using National Guard with shoot to kill orders." This is Montel Williams calling for an armed government to slaughter private citizens who have a legitimate grievance (and who haven't committed any acts of violence at all).What's emerging from this conflict iswho can't wait to see the Obama regime open fire on anyone who has a legitimate grievance against a corrupt federal land management cartel (BLM).Nowhere in any of the leftist media coverage is any honest analysis of why these ranchers feel so wronged by an oppressive, unjust federal regime known as the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM's land grab and outrageous use of anti-terrorism laws to throw the Hammond family in prison for five years for the "crime" of running a controlled burn brush fire never seems to enter any of the mainstream media coverage.Instead, their entire focus is on depicting these armed ranchers as "terrorists" even though they've committed no acts of terrorism whatsoever. In reality, they are guilty of nothing more than "camping" inside a federal building -- not much of a crime when you consider that half the federal workforce "camps" in federal buildings all day long and gets paid for it!Nevertheless, the armed activists in Oregon are getting no real traction in the media, not even in the alternative media or social media. It is difficult for most of the public to understand what exactly they're trying to accomplish when the Hammond family itself has already turned themselves in to the feds (to face four more years in prison, no less) and doesn't want these armed activists around.By bringing attention to the outrageous crimes of the BLM and federal overreach into private lands, these armed activists have already achieved a legitimate measure of victory. Tactically speaking, they can stand down right now, declare victory, and possibly face relatively minor criminal charges such as criminal trespassing.If they choose to stay in the buildings, the public uproar is only going to become louder and more insane, with more and more media lies being broadcast and irrational, enraged voices on the left calling for the government to slaughter these men and women out of sheer hatred for them. When the left calls for violence, it's always okay with the media, of course. So mass murder conducted by the government is given a green light by everyone on the extreme left.But as I've pointed out in a recent podcast , if the government slaughters these men, it may spark a nationwide armed revolt against tyranny.So let's hope that cooler heads prevail and this ends peacefully, with no casualties on either side.One takeaway we've learned from this, by the way, is that. If the federal government trumps up some bogus charges and sends you to prison for five years while forcing the sale of your land, apparently that's okay with people like Montel Williams (and everybody on CNN). Even more shocking, we've also learned that people on the left are happy and willing to call for the federal government to slaughter anyone they dislike.Whatever happened to "tolerance?" If a group of Black Lives Matter protesters camped out in a federal building, it would be called "social justice." If a group of Muslims camped out in a federal building, they would be called "refugees." But when white men from rural Oregon camp out in a federal building, it's called "terrorism." Isn't it amazing how racist the leftist media has become in its twisted coverage of events? When Black Lives Matter protesters commit mass arson and looting in Ferguson, MO, that's "justified" we're told.What we are really witnessing here is the cultural slide toward precisely the conditions that have historically led to. With each passing day, the USA is becoming a lot more like communist China, where any person who publicly disagrees with the government is quickly "disappeared" while the obedient masses call for more government violence against dissenters.Hear live updates as this event unfolds on TalkNetwork.com Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Humpback whales are slow to return to warmer waters of Hawaii this season as December usually marks the animals' migration from Alaska. Experts are currently investigating what the holdup is. "This isn't a concern, but it's of interest. One theory was that something like this happened as whales increased. It's a product of their success," Ed Lyman, a Maui-based marine biologist and response coordinator for the Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary, said in a statement. "What I'm seeing out there right now I would have expected a month ago. We've just seen a handful of whales." The whales' slow return to Hawaii is of particular interest because these iconic animals are a famous part of winter on the islands and a major source of income for local tour operators. Researchers are unsure exactly how many whales have traveled to Hawaii so far, since population counts are not recorded until the last Saturdays of January, February and March. Each year thousands of humpback whales migrate upwards of 3,000 miles from Alaska to Hawaiian breeding grounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In order to travel such great distances - the farthest migration of any mammal, in fact - humpbacks spend summer months building up fat stores by filter-feeding on tiny crustaceans. Humpback whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act and federal law prohibits approaching within 100 yards of them by boat. Despite past population declines threatening the species, experts are not yet concerned about their slow arrival to Hawaii. "They don't necessarily show up in the same place at the same time every year," former sanctuary co-manager Jeff Walters said. The whales may also be spending more time up north because of El Nino patterns and warmer waters or because their population has increased., experts say. "With more animals, they're competing against each other for that food resource, and it takes an energy of reserve to make that long migration over 2,000 miles," Lyman added. Related Articles Right Whale: Slow to Show in Florida Arctic Warming Opens Waters To More Whales, Increasing Food Competition For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN). -Follow Samantha on Twitter @Sam_Ashley13 You know the world is changing in big ways -- or at least our knowledge of it is -- when four new elements are added to the periodic table. That's it, toss out that outdated old one! You no longer need Calcium, anyhow. Just kidding about that last bit. It's good for your teeth. Anyhow, the four new elements and their atomic numbers will fill out the table's seventh row, and were announced by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on the next-to-last day of 2015, in a press release. IUPAC is the ultimate source on chemical science. "The chemistry community is eager to see its most cherished table finally being completed down to the seventh row," said Professor Jan Reedijk president of the Inorganic Chemistry Division of the IUPAC in the release. So far, the elements have stand-in names: Uut 113, Uup 115, Uus 117 and Uuo 118. And yes, don't worry if you don't find those catchy -- because they're temporary. The Bay Area's Livermore National Lab was part of the discovery of three of the four new elements, and they will likely propose permanent names and symbols for those. Scientists from Russia and Japan also contributed to the discovery and will likely help name them too. There are a few perameters for names -- they should be named after a mineral, a place or country, a mythological concept, a property or a scientist. Once the names are proposed, they'll receive scientific and public review before being finalized and set up on the table. As it happens, the new elements aren't actually found in nature: They're man-made, and they decay into unknown isotopes of elements that are a bit lighter. For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN). -Follow Catherine on Twitter @TreesWhales Diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been tense since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, though there have been occasional thaws between the two rivals. The tensions have now sharply escalated with Saudi Arabia severing ties with the Islamic Republic following attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. Here's a look at how relations between the two Mideast powers have shifted over the last decades: PRE-REVOLUTION RELATIONS: Under the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran had rocky relations with Saudi Arabia, though they improved toward the end of his reign. Both were original members of the oil cartel OPEC. POST-REVOLUTION: After the overthrow of the shah and takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Saudi Arabia quickly became America's top ally in the region. In the ensuing 1980s war between Iran and Iraq, Saudi Arabia backed Iraq despite its concerns about dictator Saddam Hussein. That war would kill 1 million people. 1987 HAJJ RIOTS: The annual pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia, required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life, saw bloodshed when Iranians held a political demonstration. Iranian pilgrims later battled Saudi riot police, violence that killed at least 402 people. Iran claimed 600 of its pilgrims were killed and said police fired machine guns at the crowd. In Tehran, mobs attacked the Saudi, Kuwaiti, French and Iraqi embassies, ransacking the first two. SEVERING TIES: In 1988, Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran, citing the 1987 hajj rioting and Iran's attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf. Iranians responded by boycotting the hajj in 1988 and 1989. The two countries restored diplomatic ties in 1991. EASING TENSIONS: Relations between the two nations improved after Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, a political moderate, took office in 1997. Ties warmed further after historic visits by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to Tehran in December 1997 and Khatami to the kingdom in May 1999. NUCLEAR DISPUTE: Worries about Iran resumed in Saudi Arabia amid international sanctions against Tehran over its contested nuclear program and the increasingly harsh rhetoric of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran and Saudi Arabia each backed opposite sides in Syria's civil war, as well as in the civil war in Yemen. Saudi Arabia also grows increasingly suspicious of Iran as it reaches a deal with world powers over its nuclear program. 2015 HAJJ DISASTER: On Sept. 24, a stampede and crush strikes the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. While the kingdom says 769 pilgrims are killed, an Associated Press count shows over 2,400 people were killed. Iran says at least 464 of its pilgrims were killed and blames Saudi Arabia's "incompetence" for the deaths. SHEIKH'S EXECUTION: On Jan. 2, Saudi Arabia executed Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others the largest execution carried out by the kingdom in three and a half decades. The execution of al-Nimr, a central figure in Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority, sparked protests across the Mideast and attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran. Saudi Arabia responded by announcing it was severing diplomatic ties with Iran over the attacks. The furor over recent Chicago police shootings has legislators considering whether voters should be allowed to recall Mayor Rahm Emanuel or future officials who hold his post. Illinois state law currently addresses only the recall of a governor, a provision voters approved in 2010 after former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested and impeached. Now, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, wants voters to also have the power to remove the mayor of the country's third-largest city. In light of the unrest in the city, Ford said, "It's clearly the right thing to have on the books." But what about mayors in other Illinois cities? What about state lawmakers? How does Illinois compare to other states when it comes to recalls? Here's a closer look at those questions and the particulars of Ford's measure. FORD'S RECALL PROPOSAL Ford introduced his bill on Dec. 9, the day Emanuel addressed the Chicago City Council and apologized for the death of Laquan McDonald, a black teenager who was shot 16 times by a white police officer in October 2014. Emanuel's apology came a couple of weeks after the release of police dashcam video that appeared to show McDonald walking away from officers when he was shot. The video triggered protests and calls for Emanuel's resignation. Emanuel has said he won't step down. "We understand there's a desire by some to insert politics into this discussion, but the mayor's focus is not on his own personal politics," Emanuel spokesman Adam Collins said in a statement. "His focus is on taking the action necessary to finally and fully address an issue that has challenged Chicago for decades, and reform the system and culture of policing in Chicago." Under Ford's proposal, two city aldermen would have to sign an affidavit agreeing with a recall petition and organizers must collect more than 88,000 signatures from registered voters in the city. At least 50 signatures must come from each of 50 wards. The proposal would pre-empt local law, so it needs approval from two-thirds of each chamber of the Illinois Legislature to pass during the session that starts this month. The bill would be effective immediately if signed into law, a scenario that can pose legal questions because it would target someone currently in office, said David Melton, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. WHAT ABOUT OTHER OFFICEHOLDERS? Ford said in the coming weeks he'll be holding town hall meetings in his district to get constituents' thoughts about the bill and whether it should be expanded to include recall provisions for other officeholders, including other mayors. He said he's willing to consider also including lawmakers but said he didn't do so initially because legislators don't wield the same authority as statewide officeholders or the Chicago mayor. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia allow recalls of state and local officials, according to Joshua Spivak, a recall expert at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College in New York City. Illinois is included in that count but is unique in that its constitution has guidelines for the recall of only the governor. "There's no jurisdiction I know of that have just one guy (open to recall)," Spivak said. HOW COMMON ARE RECALLS? Despite the recall limits in Illinois law, municipalities can adopt their own ordinances. Still, it's a power that's been rarely used. Recall efforts are expensive and time-consuming endeavors. The last time one happened in Illinois was 2010 in Buffalo Grove, a suburb of Chicago. That's where voters recalled village trustee Lisa Stone. Jennifer Maltas, Buffalo Grove's deputy village manager, said it's believed to be the only recall ever held in the state, and Spivak couldn't find any other cases. Across the country in 2015, there were at least 434 attempts to recall local and state officeholders, according to Spivak's research. Of those, only 93 made it to a recall vote. Only two U.S. governors have ever been recalled North Carolina's Lynn Frazier in 1921, and California's Gray Davis in 2003. In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker survived a recall election in 2012, becoming the first governor in U.S. history to do so. The recall came after Walker moved to strip most public employees of their collective bargaining rights. A third body has been found after four young men from Illinois went missing over the weekend on Lake Beulah in Wisconsin, authorities said Monday. The bodys identity hasnt been released, but officials said it is believed to be one of two men who remained missing after a group of four were believed to have been involved in a canoe accident. The bodies of the other two men, identified as 20-year-old Lanny Patrick Sack and 21-year-old Christopher J. McQuillen were recovered from the lake Sunday. Search efforts for the fourth man remained underway Monday afternoon. At the time of the accident, the four were spending the weekend at a lake house in the area with a group of friends. It was believed to be about 2:30 a.m. Sunday when they left the lake house and headed to the boat house, got in a canoe, and went out for paddle, officials said. It was later that morning at about 9 a.m. when the others staying at the lake house noticed the group was missing and spotted an overturned canoe up against an ice shelf. The men's friends told police the four were last seen around 2 a.m. when they went outside for a cigarette. Wisconsin officials said alcohol was involved. Lake Beulah is just over 30 miles southwest of Milwaukee, according to Jason Roberts, the Recreation Safety Specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. "There's no indication of any foul play just a tragic accident out in the cold waters," said Roberts. He added the water temperature was near freezing at 34 degrees. All the men are from Illinois and attended New Trier Township High School, the school said in a statement. They are said to be between the ages of 20 and 31, according to police. Sack was being mourned at a baseball academy where he coached youths. Patrick had started to coach for us last year and he was just a dynamite young enthusiastic coach, Lucky Strike baseball academy owner John Fix said of Sack. He had a great rapport with the 13 year-old kids. They're gonna miss him and we're gonna miss him a tremendous amount. Fix said Sack trained at the academy himself as a kid. He had a great sense of humor, Fix added. He didn't take things too seriously when he was coaching. He knew the game, he treated the kids with respect. "It is with immeasurable grief that we learned yesterday of the boating-accident deaths of four young men," Superintendent Linda Yonke said in a statement. "From information received at this point, it appears that all of the men attended New Trier Township High School for all or part of their high school years. Our deepest condolences are extended to the families and friends as they cope with this tragic loss." "We are deeply saddened by the news of this tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and all who were close to these young men," A spokesperson for Northern Illinois University told NBC Chicago. SPOILER ALERT: If you are waiting to watch the end of "Making a Murderer" to find out what happens to Steven Avery, do not read this story. In just two weeks, nearly 183,000 people have been so moved by Netflixs runaway hit Making a Murderer they have signed petitions asking for the president to pardon the documentary series' subject Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man serving life in prison. Since being created in late December, nearly 20,000 signatures had been collected on a Whitehouse.gov petition by Monday morning and an additional 163,000 had signed a Change.org petition calling for a presidential pardon for Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey. They were launched quickly after 'Making a Murderer' began streaming Dec. 18, and have only gained momentum as more viewers push their friends and family to the must-watch, mind-bending real-life thriller. Both Avery and Dassey are currently serving life sentences for the murder of photographer Theresa Halbach in 2005. After viewing [the documentary series], I am outraged with the injustices which have been allowed to compound and left unchecked in the case of Steven Avery of Manitowoc County in Wisconsin, U.S.A., the Change.org petition's creator writes. Avery's unconstitutional mistreatment at the hands of corrupt local law enforcement is completely unacceptable and is an abomination of due process. If the government petition collects 100,000 signatures by January 16, the White House has to respond publicly. The harrowing and heartbreaking 10-episode series has both enraged and consumed fans, mainly due to the fact that the series follows real people that are still living with the outcome. Following the murder case over the course of 10 years, the series questions the authenticity of evidence prosecutors used to convict the men, including a coerced confession by Brendan, who was just 16 years old at the time and learning disabled. Brendan soon after said, as shown in the series, he was forced into giving it and fed by officers. Based on the evidence in the Netflix documentary series, the Whitehouse.gov petition writes, The justice system embarrassingly failed both men, completely ruining their entire lives. There is clear evidence that the Manitowoc County sheriff's department used improper methods to convict both Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey. Filmmakers Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos produced the series chronicling the process that led to Averys conviction in Wisconsins Manitowoc County in 2007. Avery's attorneys fought tirelessly for his freedom, suggesting throughout the series that police wanted to frame his client. In many points, there is a stark contrast to what was told to the public during the time to the reality shown of how the alleged evidence was uncovered by local law enforcement and the tactics used over the course of years to put Avery behind bars. Prosecutor Ken Kratz has defended himself after the onslaught of criticism and global attention, saying the case is slanted toward the defense. He says the filmmakers didn't give him a chance to answer any of the defense attorneys' allegations. He also says the filmmakers haven't presented as much as 90 percent of the physical evidence linking Avery to the crime. In response to Kratzs comments, filmmaker Ricciardi told The Wrap: "Ken Kratz is entitled to his own opinion, but he's not entitled to his own facts." Ricciardi and Demos spent 10 years following the Avery family's struggle, capturing 700 hours of footage throughout the investigation and trial. Riccardi's partner Demos added to the Wrap: "I guess I would ask Kratz what he would trade it for. We tried to choose what we thought was Kratz's strongest evidence pointing toward Steven's guilt, the things he talked about at his press conferences, the things that were really damning toward Steven. That's what we put in." After finishing the powerful 10 episodes, thousands of fans have taken to social media expressing sleepless nights spent wondering what legal options are left for both men, and whether any other suspects have emerged since the documentary was released. Tens of thousands of comments on Making A Murderers Reddit subthread have come up with their own theories or even taken it upon themselves to try to find new facts in the case that they hope can bring the men justice. Here you can find answers to many questions you might have after watching "Making a Murderer." State police are looking for a driver that struck a state police cruiser on the Interstate 84 westbound exit 18 off-ramp in Southbury at a DUI spot check, state police said. A vehicle struck a cruiser while troopers were conducting a DUI spot check in the area on Jan. 2 at 9 p.m. and the car tried to back off the ramp to avoid the sobriety checkpoint, state police said. The car kept going into Waterbury. The state police cruiser was parked and no one was in it at the time and was moderately damaged. It was driven away from the scene. State police are looking for the driver and the evading vehicle, which is described as a newer model Silver Infinity four-door sedan with a Connecticut registration plate containing the letters AA. The vehicle was damaged on the passenger side, possibly from the front end to the rear. State police ask anyone with information about the car or identity of the driver to call Troop A at 203-267-2200 or text TIP711 with information to 236748 and reference Case 16-00003686. All calls and texts will remain confidential. Frontier Communications customers experienced outages in their local television service statewide for several hours Monday morning, but the company announced the problem has since been resolved. The outage was caused by issues with Frontier's coding for data transfer, according to a representative from the company. Local, not national, television channels in Connecticut were affected, but Elizabeth Godbout, a Frontier spokesperson, said just after 11 a.m. that "all local television channels are back up now." She did, however, say there have still been some sporadic technical issues and some customers have contacted NBC Connecticut to say their service still isn't working. Frontier had asked customers affected not to reset their set top boxes, Godbout said. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says closing Southbury Training School for people with severe intellectual disabilities is a more complicated budget-savings proposition than he first thought. While Southbury's residential population has declined over the years to 270 as of Thursday due to death, people moving into community-based settings and the end to new admissions Malloy said there remains a group of people who still need "exceptional care" costing a lot of money. "I think the legislature needs to understand that most of the people at Southbury really are extraordinary cases and no matter where they are, they're going to be more expensive to care for," Malloy said in an interview with The Associated Press. Malloy, who previously voiced support for possibly closing Southbury, said he has visited the facility and since learned more about the unique care that's being provided, acknowledging he was "caught up in a one-size-fits-all" way of thinking earlier. "We have elderly people who require a much higher level of treatment and it happens to be there. And because it's got a name and because it's got a history, people just kind of group it together," he said of the sprawling campus, which dates back to the late 1930s and has been the subject of various lawsuits. "Not that I'm saying that Southbury as it once existed, even necessarily as it currently exists, should exist forever. Just that it's a more complicated issue," Malloy said. The Democrat's comments come shortly after the General Assembly passed a budget-cutting bill that included language requiring the Office of Policy and Management Secretary and the Department of Developmental Disabilities commissioner to provide a plan by Dec. 31 to close Southbury and several regional centers. The Developmental Disabilities commissioner already has begun soliciting public input about the future of Southbury, requesting submissions in October. Commissioner Morna Murray said she hopes to provide recommendations to Malloy by April 30. Opinions are strong about the Southbury's future. A coalition of disability rights groups, led by the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities, has called for closing the facility by 2020. The group contends any savings realized should be spent reducing the lengthy waiting list for state services for people with disabilities, including supportive housing in the community. Meanwhile, a caucus of state legislators has also announced support for closing six state-run institutions, including Southbury, by 2020. "There is definite movement now to talk about how the plan is going to go forward," said Molly Cole, director of the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities. "It's just very sad to me that we're having, in this day and age, a conversation about whether to close a place that in today's world would never be opened because it's illegal." The Home and School Association of the Southbury Training School is an advocacy group that includes relatives of the remaining residents who believe their loved ones are thriving at Southbury. The association argues that closure of Southbury and the other regional sites will cost Connecticut a significant amount of money over many years and exacerbate the current waiting list for services. "In addition, the residents of these facilities have the legal right to remain there," the group states on its website, "and we intend to defend that right." The Connecticut Supreme Court is expected to hear several high-profile appeals in 2016, including the state's attempt to put Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel back in prison and a review of its landmark decision declaring the death penalty unconstitutional. Skakel, a nephew of Robert F. Kennedy's widow, Ethel, was freed in November 2013 after a judge granted him a new trial in the slaying of neighbor Martha Moxley in wealthy Greenwich in 1975, when they were both teenagers. He posted $1.2 million bail and was released after serving more than 11 years of a prison sentence of 20 years to life for murder. Prosecutors are going before the state Supreme Court to challenge the decision for a new trial by Judge Thomas Bishop, who ruled that Skakel's attorney, Michael Sherman, failed to adequately represent him in 2002. Prosecutors declined to comment on the appeal. A message seeking comment was left for Skakel's appeal lawyer, Hubert Santos. The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments by April. Prosecutors have said that if they lose the appeal, they will put Skakel on trial again. Justices are scheduled to hear arguments this month in the appeal of Russell Peeler Jr. a case in which the court will revisit its 4-3 decision last year that declared Connecticut's death penalty unconstitutional. Peeler was sentenced to death for ordering the killing of a woman and her 8-year-old son in Bridgeport in 1999. The boy, B.J. Brown, was to testify against Peeler in another murder case. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and state lawmakers in 2012 abolished the death penalty, but only for future murders leaving 11 men including Peeler still facing execution. A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled in August in the appeal of another death row inmate, Eduardo Santiago, that the 2012 abolishment must be applied to those who remained on death row because the death penalty violated the state constitution. In a rare move, the court is allowing prosecutors in the Peeler case to address issues decided in the Santiago appeal, setting up a possible overturning of the Santiago ruling abolishing the death penalty. Prosecutors in Peeler's appeal will argue Jan. 7 that, contrary to Peeler's claims, the 2012 law allowing the death penalty for future murders only does not violate the state constitution. Hartford attorney Daniel Klau said the Supreme Court is "certainly off to a significant start with Peeler in January and Skakel likely to follow." Also this year, the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to reinstate the corruption convictions of former Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez. Justices heard arguments in October. A lower court ruled in 2013 that the state improperly combined two corruption cases into one trial that ended with Perez's conviction and a three-year prison sentence for taking a bribe and attempted extortion. Perez has remained free on bail pending the appeals. Hartford lawyer Proloy Das said the Skakel, Peeler and Perez cases are unusual in that it is the state seeking reversals of court rulings, not the defendants. Chief Justice Chase Rogers declined through a spokeswoman to comment on the court's 2016 cases. The Supreme Court also is expected to hear three other death penalty appeals involving Steven Hayes, Sedrick Cobb and Robert Breton. Hayes is one of two men sentenced to death in the highly publicized murders of a mother and her two daughters in a home invasion in Cheshire in 2007. If you bought tickets for Janet Jackson's postponed Unbreakable World Tour in Hartford at the XL Center, you'll still be able to use them when the tour is rescheduled. Janet Jackson posted on her Facebook page on Christmas Eve that she'll have to postpone her world tour until the spring because her doctors are having her undergo surgery. "Hey you guys Happy Holidays to each and every one of you. I need you to know, I learned today, from my doctors that I must have surgery soon," Jackson posted on her Facebook page Dec. 24. "It breaks my heart to tell you that I am forced to postpone the Unbreakable Tour until the spring. Every date will be rescheduled. Please hold on to your tickets. They will be honored in a special way when the new schedule is announced. Please pray for me, my family and our entire company during this difficult time. There will be no further comment. I love you all so much and am ever grateful for your understanding and your love. Gon' b alright." Jackson had been scheduled to perform in Hartford on Feb. 27. The XL Center posted that her tour "has been postponed until further notice." "Tickets that have already been purchased will still be valid for the TBD postponed date," the XL Center posted on its website. The entertainment venue encourages ticket holders to hold on to your tickets until a new date for the concert has been confirmed, however "refunds can be made at the point of purchase." Anyone who paid online or over the phone using a credit card can receive a refund by calling 877-522-8499. Customers who bought their tickets in cash at the XL Center box office can return their tickets there to obtain a refund. The XL Center's box office is open Mondays to Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. President Barack Obama moved Monday to expand background checks to cover more guns sold at gun shows, online and anywhere else, aiming to curb a scourge of gun violence despite unyielding opposition to new gun laws in Congress. Obama's plan to broaden background checks forms the centerpiece of a broader package of measures the president plans to take on his own on gun control in his final year in office. Although Obama can't unilaterally change gun laws, the president is hoping that beefing up enforcement of existing laws can prevent at least some gun deaths in a country rife with them. "This is not going to solve every violent crime in this country," Obama said. Still, he added, "It will potentially save lives and spare families the pain of these extraordinary losses." Under current law, only federally licensed gun dealers must conduct background checks on buyers, but many who sell guns at flea markets, on websites or other informal settings don't register as dealers. Gun control advocates say that loophole is exploited to skirt the background check requirement. Now, the Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will issue updated guidance that says the government should deem anyone "in the business" of selling guns to be a dealer, regardless of where he or she sells the guns. To that end, the government will consider other factors, including how many guns a person sells and how frequently, and whether those guns are sold for a profit. The executive actions on gun control fall far short of what he and likeminded lawmakers attempted to accomplish with legislation in 2013, after a massacre at a Connecticut elementary school that shook the nation's conscience. Even still, the more modest measures were sure to spark a confrontation with Republicans and gun rights groups that oppose new impediments to buying guns. "We're very comfortable that the president can legally take these actions now," said Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Far from mandating background checks for all gun sales, the new guidance still exempt collectors and gun hobbyists, and the exact definition of who must register as a dealer and conduct background checks remains exceedingly vague. The administration did not issue a number for how many guns someone must sell to be considered a dealer, instead saying it planned to remind people that courts have deemed people to be dealers in some cases even if they only sell a handful of guns. And the background check provision rests in the murky realm of agency guidelines, which have less force than full-fledged federal regulations and can easily be rescinded. Many of the Republican presidential candidates running to succeed Obama have vowed to rip up his new gun restrictions upon taking office. In an attempt to prevent gun purchases from falling through the cracks, the FBI will hire 230 more examiners to process background checks, the White House said. The FBI has a computerized system that can process background checks for many in seconds. But in instances where the FBI needs more time, the government only has three days before prospective buyers can return and buy the gun without being cleared. The White House also said it planned to ask Congress for $500 million to improve mental health care, and pledged to move forward with efforts to keep guns out of the hands with people deemed unsuitable because of mental illness. The Obama administration also plans to complete a rule long in the works to close a separate loophole that exempts guns purchased by trusts or corporations from background checks. Obama planned to announce the new measures at an event at the White House on Tuesday as he continued a weeklong push to promote the gun effort and pushing back on its critics. He met at the White House on Monday with Democratic lawmakers who have supported stricter gun control, and planned to take his argument to prime time on Thursday with a town hall discussion about gun violence on CNN. The initiative also promised to be prominent in Obama's final State of the Union address next week. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Stacy A. Anderson contributed to this report. Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher didnt play against his former team on Sunday. He sat out with a pinched nerve in his neck. But Hatcher admitted it felt good to be on the winning side of the old rivalry, even if he harbors no ill will toward Jerry Jones or the Cowboys. "I tell everybody I didn't leave on a bad note," Hatcher said, per the Dallas Morning News. "Me and Jerry [Jones] sat down and we talked like men and he told me what his plans were and I respected that. I'm not like some players, they're mad at the organization. I left on a good note. But it still feels good to beat their butt. After a career year with the Cowboys in 2013, in which he recorded 11 sacks, Hatcher left for a truckload of money in Washingtonfour years and $27.5 million to be exact, which is a whole lot more than the Cowboys were ready to pay him at the time. Since then, Hatcher has appeared in 28 games for the Redskins and has 7.5 sacks. Dallas police are investigating after an officer and a teen were struck by a vehicle Monday afternoon in Dallas.[[364155351,L]] It happened at about 2:15 p.m. at the Las Lomas Apartments in the 200 block of Stoneport Drive. Witnesses said a group of teenagers had been fighting in the area. When an officer arrived on the scene, someone got into a car, then slammed into a teenage boy and the officer with the vehicle. "It was at that point that other suspects who were involved in the disturbance got into a nearby vehicle and drove directly at the officer and the juvenile. That vehicle struck both the officer and the juvenile," said Dallas Police Department spokesman Maj. Max Geron. The injured teenager was transported to Children's Medical Center Dallas. The teen's condition is unknown at this time. The officer who not only was hit, but also dragged by the vehicle for a short time was transported to a hospital, where he was treated and later released Monday evening. Officer is in stable condition. One juvenile was taken to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/Mvv3aGBhIk Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) January 4, 2016 Officers located a vehicle possibly related to the original offense nearby, Geron said. "We've detained a few individuals, we've not identified them as suspects. We've taken a number of witnesses down to talk to us at headquarters, so we'll process that try and identify the individuals involved," Geron said. Ahead of new developments expected this week in the case of "affluenza teen" Ethan Couch, an expert reveals what the future may hold for his mother, who is accused of helping her son flee the country. Couch, 18, was sentenced to 10 years of probation for a drunken-driving crash that killed four people in 2013. His attorneys coined the term "affluenza" to describe the teen's privileged upbringing. Authorities began searching for Couch last month after he missed a mandatory meeting with a probation officer. He was found to have fled the country to Mexico with his mother, Tonya Couch, who is accused of helping him. The pair was found in Puerto Vallarta and arrested Monday. Although Ethan Couch remains in Mexico, his mother was deported to the United States late Wednesday. She remains detained in Los Angeles pending a hearing set for early this week. Law enforcement sources in Texas told NBC News the hearing is set for Tuesday. It could happen any time after 10:30 a.m. Central Time at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Dallas attorney Pete Schulte told NBC DFW the extradition process for Tonya Couch from Los Angeles to a courtroom in Tarrant County, Texas, may not take long. "If she's not going to fight it, then the minute she walks in and says, 'Your honor, we're not going to fight extradition,' the judge will say, 'OK,' sign the order and off she goes," said Schulte. Barring unforseen circumstances, Tonya Couch will likely return to Tarrant County by mid-week to face a felony charge of hindering apprehension, law enforcement sources told NBC News. She's being held on $1 million bond. Tarrant County deputies planned to return from California with Tonya Couch by the end of the week. Her attorney said "she looks forward to being returned to Texas as quickly as possible... and is eager to have her day in court." "She'll have the condition that if she's able to make the $1 million bond that she'll have to wear an electronic monitor, because she is a flight risk," Schulte said. Ethan Couch remained Sunday inside a Mexican immigration detention center in Mexico City. Fernando Benitez, a high-profile Mexican attorney known for winning big cases confirmed Friday he would represent Ethan. "The is the chance down there that the Mexican lawyer is successful, he could get released, and then be left in Mexico," said Schulte. "And then Mr. Couch will be on his way to go wherever he wants, and we kind of start the process over." Schulte said he believes Ethan Couch is "getting bad advice." "His Mexican lawyers telling him we should delay, delay, delay. All that's doing is hurting him when he does inevitably get back to Tarrant County in front of a judge here," he said. On Monday, the Tarrant County District Attorney's office said that Tonya Couch will likely be arraigned in Criminal District Court Two within 24 to 48 hours of her return to the county. After Ethan Couch was detained in Mexico last week, Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson announced a Jan. 19 court date in juvenile court to hear a motion that will transfer Ethan's probation from juvenile to adult court. However, with Ethan still in Mexico it's unclear if that hearing can go on without him. A DA spokesperson said that was still being discussed and determined. If the hearing cannot happen with Couch absent, the DA's office says they'll wait until the day he returns even if it's years from now. NBC 5's Kevin Cokely and Chris Van Horne contributed to this report. Denzel Washington has been selected as the recipient of the 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Award, to be presented at 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 10 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The honorary award is presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the organization behind the Globes) for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment." Washington, 61, has been nominated for seven Golden Globes and won for "Glory" and "The Hurricane." He won Academy Awards for "Glory" and "Training Day," and has received two Emmy nominations, one Tony Award ("Fences"), one NAACP Image Award and a Grammy Award for his narration of "John Henry." "Washington's long and storied career is earmarked by his countless roles in front and behind the camera," said Hollywood Foreign Press Association president Lorenzo Soria in a statement. [[361321371,C]] Washington most recently appeared in "The Equalizer," directed by Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day"). Next up he re-teams with Fuqua for "The Magnificent Seven," also starring Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke. "In any craft or artistic endeavor you want to do different things. You want to go to different places, you want to find different ways to go about it," Washington said in 1998 of his profession, per IMDB. "So that's how it is for me as an actor. I couldn't play the same guy eight times and I don't have to. I think I've said all of my career, I'm not a celebrity. I'm not a movie star. I'm just an actor who is more popular right now. I don't even know what a movie star is. And one of the reasons why I keep on going back to make movies that don't have such huge budgets is that it's not as much pressure. You feel like you can take more chances." After graduating Fordham University in 1977, the Mount Vernon, N.Y. native moved to San Francisco where he began his theater career. National recognition came in 1982 when he joined the cast of the long-running NBC TV series "St. Elsewhere." Previous recipients of the Cecil B. DeMille award include George Clooney (2015), Woody Allen (2014), Jodie Foster (2013), Morgan Freeman (2012), Robert De Niro (2011), Martin Scorsese (2010), Steven Spielberg (2009), Robin Williams (2005), Harrison Ford (2002) and Barbra Streisand (2000). Here, five of Washington's most notable and lauded roles: "Glory" (1989) Based on the writings of Col. Robert Gould Shaw, the Civil War-era officer who led the US's first all-black regiment, "Glory" solidified Washington's place on the cinematic map and earned him his first Academy Award. Washington played one of Shaw's troops alongside Morgan Freeman and Andre Braugher, with Matthew Broderick in the role of Shaw. [[362650701,C]] "Malcolm X" (1992) Taking the title role in the biopic of the of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, Washington earned his third Oscar nomination. Directed and co-written by Spike Lee, the film also stars Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman, Jr., and Delroy Lindo. The role earned Washington a best actor Oscar nomination. Of his Academy Award loss to Al Pacino ("Scent of a Woman"), Lee said, "I'm not the only one who thinks Denzel was robbed on that one." [[362650811,C]] "Philadelphia" (1993) Inspired by a real-life court case, "Philadelphia" stars Tom Hanks as Andrew Beckett, an attorney who files a wrongful termination suit against his former firm claiming it was due to his AIDS diagnosis. In the film, Hanks' character enlists personal injury lawyer Joe Miller (Washington) to represent him. While Hanks garnered most of the praise for the film, Washington's subtle turn as a man struggling with his personal beliefs and his respect for the law cemented his place as one of the best dramatic actors working in the 1990s. [[362650951,C]] "Training Day" (2001) Known for playing noble, often heroic characters, Washington surprised and dazzles in the role of crooked LAPD detective Alonzo Harris, who is tasked with evaluating straight-shooting new partner (Ethan Hawke). The gritty role earned Washington a best actor Academy Award and a supporting actor nomination for Hawke. [[362651291,C]] "Flight" (2012) In the opening scenes of "Flight" Washington's character, respected pilot Whip Whitaker, saves hundreds of lives when he makes a daring landing after his plane malfunctions. But that's just the beginning of the drama when the story shifts to the post-crash investigation where it is revealed Whitaker is an alcoholic who was legally drunk at the time of the crash. [[362651341,C]] A Glendale mother has been gathering donated baby carriers to make war refugees' journeys a little easier as they trek many miles carrying their children to safety in the Middle East. Cristal Logothetis is a young mom from Glendale who's busy with her two year old son Leon and a family business which provides translation services. Everything changed for her when she saw a photo of Aylan Kurdi. He was a 3-year-old Syrian boy who drowned trying to escape war. She knew she had to help. "It was the last straw," Logothetis said. "I decided I had to do something even if it was a small impact." Logothetis's family had immigrated to the U.S. from Spain when she was a child. She said she was especially moved by images of mothers carrying young children in their arms as they walked hundreds of miles to safety. "They're not traversing well-paved roads they're coming through creeks and ravines and borders and dangerous, precarious locations," Logothetis said. She started an online fundraising campaign and asked other moms to donate their baby carriers so she could take them to Greece to give to refugees arriving by boat. Thousands of donations came flooding in from all over the world. Logothetis organized a team of volunteers to help sort and pack the baby carriers. "Most of which are moms like myself, who for years have been standing on the sidelines trying to figure out a way to help to make an impact," Logothetis said. Many of the donated carriers come with love notes to the refugees. "From one mother to another peace be with you on your journey," a note read. In October, Logothetis and her band of mothers traveled to Greece to meet the refugees when they arrived by boat. They awaited a ferry carrying 1,400 refugees coming from the Greek island of Lesbos so they could pass the carriers out. The volunteers wore baby carriers holding dolls to show the refugees how they work since the packs aren't generally used in the Middle East. Due to language barriers, most of the fittings had to be done through gestures, but the message came through loud and clear: People around the world care. "I would like to know I live in a world where if I was in their shoes somebody would care enough about me to lend me a hand," Logothetis said. Logothetis is forming a nonprofit called carry the future. They've already distributed 7,000 baby carriers to families in need and plan to continue indefinitely. "My message to everyone is just help out that's all that matters," Logothetis said. "You decide how you want to do it: How to make the world a better place. Just do it." If you'd like to volunteer or donate a baby carrier for a refugee family, visit the site. http://www.Carrythefuture.Org Mayor Eric Garcetti urged Los Angeles residents to be prepared for El Nino-related storms expected in the coming week. "This storm is real and it's coming," Garcetti said at a news conference Sunday evening. A series of storms was expected to strike in the coming week, bringing rain, snow, and potential flooding beginning Sunday evening. The stronger storm was expected to make landfall bringing one to two inches of rain on Tuesday. Residents in Huntington Beach and Ventura County were preparing for the pending storms with sandbags, guard rails and more. Garcetti said the city has gathered an emergency team dedicated specifically for preparing for El Nino storms in addition to tripling the number of outreach teams. He urged residents to avoid driving over to where waters were rising. "That's where people get caught in their vehicles, in that water, sometimes losing their lives," Garcetti said. "Tens of thousands of storm drains" were cleared to help prevent flooding, the mayor said. Garcetti also said there were things residents could do, like clearing storm drains, and getting sandbags from a local fire station if mudslides are a threat. He also encouraged residents to have a plan to meet loved ones should a crisis occur. "Last El Nino, the big storm that happened 18 years ago, we lost about 14 people," Garcetti said. "We had billions of dollars of damage. We are determined to get in front of this." Winter shelters were open, and the number of beds was increased by 50 percent to 1,500, Garcetti said. There will be spaces available "whether it's for homeless individuals, or people who will become homeless because their homes get destroyed by mudslides or other things," Garcetti said. Garcetti also said residents could get information from an El Nino preparation site as well as alerts on their smartphones. A mega church pastor and a former New York mayor offered encouragement and support to thousands of San Bernardino County workers beginning the New Year still reeling from the December terror attack that took the lives of fourteen colleagues. Even as the Inland Regional Center reopened Monday for the first time since the attack, the county gave workers the afternoon off so they could attend a gathering dedicated to "Remember, Honor and Support." Nearly five thousand attended the event at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. They remembered the victims of a radicalized Islamic husband and wife who shot and killed 14 people and wounded 23 others on Dec. 2 during a holiday gathering of the county's environmental health services division. They heard Pastor Rick Warren encourage them to confront their grief and not try to repress it. "Tears are a gift from God. Tears are not a sign of weakness, but of love," Pastor Warren said. He also implored those grieving to reject bitterness not for the sake of the perperpetrators but for their own healing. Bitterness, said Warren, can "eat you alive." Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke of the strength his city showed in recovering from the 9/11 terror attack in 2001, and assured San Bernardino it can do so as well. Giuliani shared the story of a New York woman who lost her father, husband, and youngest son all in the same year, but nevertheless insisted on allowing her daughter's wedding to go forward. "You don't forget the good things because of the bad things," Giuliani remembered her saying. He praised San Bernardino's strength in the face of terrorists. "They didn't beat you. They didn't accomplish their goal," Giuliani said. "Tell the terrorists, 'Screw You, you can't beat us. We're stronger than you.'" Like Warren, Giuliani also stressed the importance of unity and compassion and holding to values, and said San Bernardino will make a powerful statement "by coming out of this as an example of how strong people can be when they love each other, care for each other." Officials beefed up security around the facility for the event, including police dogs and metal detector screeners. "We want our employees to feel safe and secure," said David Wert, public information officer. "That is a priority of the county." The formal program ended with Supervisor Janice Rutherford proclaiming, "We are San Bernardino strong." Many stayed to talk and reflect before heading to the parking lot. "The message that we should unite and stay strong and look for the good, to counteract the bad, hit home with all of us," said Laurie Hunter, a San Bernardino County employee who works in the CEO's office. "I was very emotional coming in," said Kendra Theroth, who works on a crisis team. "But leaving, I felt strong." When Anderson Bonilla became editor-in-chief of the yearbook at his Virginia high school, he decided he wanted to show student life as it really is instead of the glossy, idealized version of high school so often memorialized. There is a feature about Mount Vernon High School's immigrant students, and another showing classmates who are learning English. There is a page that gives tips on how to help students cope with grief after losing a friend. And there are two full pages dedicated to showing the lives of teenage mothers who attend the school. "We want to show the real world of what Mount Vernon is,'' Bonilla said. He made the theme of the Surveyor "Where we really live.'' "We wanted to report something worth knowing,'' he said. But a photo of one of the pregnant teens baring her stomach has ignited a fight between student leaders who want to show "the real world'' and school officials worried about how it might be viewed by students later in life. According to Bonilla, Principal Esther Manns has said she will not allow the photos of Hannah Talbert, a junior at the school, to be featured in the yearbook. Manns did not respond to requests for comment, but in a statement, a school spokesman said that Manns "raised concerns'' about some photos and asked for students to make sure they had permission to run them. She has not made any final decisions, spokesman John Torre said. Talbert took a series of self-portraits and posted them on Instagram. She initially did not know that her photos would be in the yearbook, but after she learned about the plan, she signed off. She said she is proud to be a teen mother balancing the care of a 6-month-old with a full load of International Baccalaureate courses. "I'm going to buy a yearbook, and me having a baby was a big part of my life," said Talbert, who recently turned 17. "I'm kind of disappointed that the school wanted to take it out," said her father, Mac Talbert. He believes that showing his daughter in the yearbook could make other young women who find themselves in similar circumstances feel less alone. "Hannah's not the only kid who has had to face this. She's taking it head-on." The case pits the First Amendment rights of high school students against the concerns of administrators who worry about the long-term impact of the photos, especially in the context of sensitive issues, including teenage pregnancy. Bonilla said he left his meeting with the principal believing that she had decided the photos of Talbert would not appear in the yearbook. She did not, however, submit any written decision on the pictures. Under the school district's policies, students can appeal a decision in writing. Bonilla also said he believes that the students are on firm ground in publishing the photos. In the U.S. Supreme Court case Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, justices ruled that principals could censor articles on such sensitive subjects as pregnancy and divorce in student publications since the publication carries the "imprimatur" of the school. But district policy spells out that principals can censor only material that they believe will cause a disruption or that is "harmful to juveniles." Bonilla included the photo spread in part to give teen mothers a voice. "We are actually giving a realistic view of what these girls go through," Bonilla said. "She's still here. She's getting her education. That's what we're trying to show the school." Having a child and attending high school is not easy, Talbert said. She rises before many of her classmates to get her son ready for day care and has to keep an eye on him while she does homework. She spent part of her 17th birthday at the pediatrician's office with him. She is not ashamed to be a teen mother and, with financial support and heavy-duty babysitting help from her parents, she plans to pursue her dream of attending Penn State University and becoming a surgeon. And she wants other girls who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant to know their lives aren't over. "I don't think I'll regret it," Talbert said of appearing in the yearbook. "That would be like saying I regret having my son, and I don't." Grief counselors were on hand Monday at Coral Reef Elementary School in Palmetto Bay after a student, 7-year-old Amiere Castro, was shot and killed in southwest Miami-Dade over winter break. Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho welcomed students and parents back to the school, making an announcement over the school's speakers. "I stand with you through the good times and through the bad times, through happy times and sad times," he said. Annabell Plasencia, whose daughter was in classes with Castro, said it was difficult to explain. "It was very very scary and sad," she said. "I just told her that he wasn't going to be here anymore, that he had gone to heaven." Three arrests have been made in the Sunday, Dec. 27 drive-by shooting in which Amiere, who was inside his cousin's house playing with toys, was fatally shot. Amiere had been visiting his family in the southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood of Richmond Heights over the holidays. His mother was on her way to pick him up when he was killed. Amiere's 12-year-old brother held him until police arrived. Grief counselors will also be available at his middle school on Monday. According to an arrest report, Michael Tobler, 19, was taken into custody Wednesday in connection with the shooting. Dravein Duke, 19, and Maxwell Trewin, 18, were previously arrested. Police say Tobler was "responsible for generating the retaliatory shooting" that resulted in Amiere's death. According to a report, Duke, Trewin and several other male teens went to a home in the 15000 block of Jackson Street around 3 p.m. on the day of the shooting to buy marijuana from Tobler. Duke, Trewin and another teen got out of the car, while two others stayed inside. After the sale was complete, Tobler and Duke got into an argument over a possible stolen firearm, according to police. Police said Tobler took out a gun and shoved the muzzle into Duke's abdomen, threatening to kill him. Duke, Trewin and the other teen got back into the car and started to drive away when Tobler fired three times at the vehicle, according to police. Trewin, the driver, accelerated and drove off. Duke and Trewin returned about 20 minutes later, police said. As they drove past the house, Trewin opened fire from inside the vehicle, shooting and killing Amiere as he played in the living room. However Amiere's aunt, the homeowner, denies claims that the shooting stemmed from an earlier incident. Amiere was laid to rest on Sunday at Second Baptist Church in Richmond Heights. Family, friends and community members gathered to pay their respects. "It's something that should not have happened," said Lee Waters Jr. at Sunday's service. "It's something that we feel a great deal of sorrow for the family," All three suspects remain in jail awaiting trial. A Miami-Dade judge increased Tobler's bond to $50,000 and gave him house arrest until he returns to court for his arraignment. A Jacksonville man is facing a 120-year sentence for firing two shots that caused no injuries, The Florida Times-Union reported on Sunday. The trial of Army Veteran Randal Ratledge, 58, is scheduled to start with jury selection on Monday. Defense attorneys have asked the judge to waive the mandatory guidelines, but court officials said Judge Jack Schemer is bound by the state law. Ratledge, 58, was charged with six counts of aggravated assault after a 2012 incident involving his neighbors. Authorities said Rutledge fired shots in the air and screamed profanities at the six neighbors. He was charged with one count of aggravated assault on each of the neighbors. Under Florida's 10-20-Life law, anyone convicted of a crime involving the firing of a gun gets a prison sentence of at least 20 years. Defense attorneys say Ratledge had a bad reaction to the sleep medication Ambien and didn't know what he was doing when he threatened the neighbors. "The problem with our system now is judges have no discretion," defense attorney Bill Sheppard said. "Prosecutors decide the sentence, not judges." Sheppard said Ratledge would be willing to plead guilty if prosecutors would allow the judge to impose a lesser sentence. Sheppard said the best offer Ratledge has gotten is 18 years in prison. He said that would likely amount to a life sentence for someone Ratledge's age. According to police reports, Ratledge was talking with friends and neighbors near his home in August 2012 when he went into the house and came back with a gun. He fired a shot in the air, then ran at the people outside screaming profanities while firing a second shot in their direction. State attorney spokeswoman Jackelyn Barnard said prosecutors have been in discussions with defense attorneys over the case. "While we cannot get into specifics pretrial, the state has considered all options, which include waiving the 20-year minimum mandatory," Barnard said. City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado said no local government is prepared for the arrival of potentially thousands of Cuban migrants who have been stranded in Costa Rica for months. Regalado also said organizations that help Cubans once they arrive have not received any guidance from the federal government on the mass migration issue. An estimated 8,000 Cubans remain stranded at the Costa Rican border with Nicaragua. Last week, Central American leaders agreed on a pilot program for an undisclosed number of people. According to the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry, the Cuban migrants will be airlifted from Costa Rica to El Salvador, then continue by bus to Mexico, and the United States. "This is Mariel, but in slow motion," Regalado said Monday, referencing the 1980 Mariel Boatlift, in which more than 100,000 Cubans fled the island nation by boat from Mariel Harbor to the U.S. The state's Maritime mass migration plan was a direct result of the Mariel Boatlift. Regalado believes many in the group have their eyes on Miami as a final destination. He said immigration is a federal matter, but the city does not have the resources to house the thousands potentially headed their way. "I don't think that the federal government has a plan. They have not acknowledged that there is a crisis," he said. The Miami-Dade County Emergency Management team is also monitoring what the team's director called a fluid situation. The team said it's prepared to adapt the policy for this wave of migration by land. "In this event if this were to happen this wouldn't be people presenting themselves all at one time here in South Florida," Emergency Management Director Curtis Sommerhoff said. "It would be more of a controlled event. It would be more of a challenge for those along the southwest border." The U.S. Department of State said it has no plans to alter the current migration policy regarding Cuba. When asked about the Central American deal, a State Department spokesperson said in part: "We refer you to the involved host governments for details of the agreement." "The plan locally has always been a humanitarian plan," Sommerhoff said. There's been no word from Central American governments on when the pilot program will begin. Local governments both in South Florida and along the Southwest border are watching how things will evolve. When an Indiana woman allegedly posted to Facebook that her New Years Eve meal at a downtown Indianapolis restaurant was ruined "by watching a dead person being wheeled out from an overdose," she probably didn't expect the response she received from the restaurant's manager. Holly Jones is accused of writing on Kilroys restaurants Facebook page that she was dining at the restaurant, as she does every year for the holiday, when her table was "screamed at" while trying to figure out a bill discrepancy. "The manager told us someone dying was more important than us being there making us feel like our business didnt matter, but I guess allowing a Junkie in the building to overdose on your property is more important then (sic) paying customers who are spending a lot of money," she wrote, in part. The restaurants manager, Chris Burton, wrote a scathing reply to the womans post, pointing out a major error in her note the "junkie" Jones allegedly referred to in her message was an elderly woman who suffered a heart attack while dining with her husband and son. "First of all, the 'overdosing junkie' that you speak of was a 70+ year old woman who had a heart attack," he wrote. "Thankfully she was finally revived at the hospital and survived. It sounds like you were very concerned about her so I thought you should know. This poor lady, who was celebrating New Years Eve with her husband and son, had to be placed on the floor of a completely packed bar and have her shirt removed in front of everyone so the paramedics could work on her. But I can completely understand why you think being intoxicated (expletive) that didnt understand your bill should take priority over a human life." Burton's reply quickly went viral, generating responses from around the world. The restaurant has since shared a link to a GoFundMe page for the woman who suffered the heart attack, raising money to help pay for her medical bills. Family members wrote on the page that the woman is in critical care at Indiana University Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Jones appears to have taken down her Facebook profile, according to the restaurant, but upset commenters have since targeted a hair salon where she works. Serenity Salon has acknowledged that a stylist allegedly posted the message to the restaurants page, but said the Facebook post "in no way represents the views" of the salon or its staff. "We are saddened by events that took place that evening and will continue to pray for the women (sic) who suffered a heart attack at this establishment on New Years Eve," the salon wrote, adding that it plans to "deal with this matter internally and take whatever actions deemed necessary." The salon also said Jones "does claim she is not the actual person who posted this and is in the process of trying to clear her name. We all do have to take responsibility for our devices and make sure they are pass code protected." The salon has since posted a $500 donation to the GoFundMe page. Jones could not immediately be reached for comment. Read the full Facebook exchange below. WTHR U.S. consumers will now find it harder to learn where their beef or pork was born, raised and slaughtered. After more than a decade of wrangling, Congress repealed a labeling law last month that required retailers to include the animal's country of origin on packages of red meat. It's a major victory for the meat industry, which had fought the law in Congress and the courts since the early 2000s. Lawmakers said they had no choice but to get rid of the labels after the World Trade Organization repeatedly ruled against them. The WTO recently authorized Canada and Mexico, which had challenged the law, to begin more than $1 billion in economic retaliation against the United States. "U.S. exporters can now breathe a sigh of relief," said Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. The longtime opponent of the labels helped add the repeal to a massive year-end spending bill. After the law was passed, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the government immediately would stop requiring the labels. Consumer groups say the repeal is a disappointment just as consumers are asking for more information on their food packages. Advocates say the labels help people make more informed buying decisions and encourage purchases of American meat. Before repeal, the labels told shoppers that a particular cut of meat was "born in Canada, raised and slaughtered in the United States" or "born, raised and slaughtered in the United States." Congress first required the labels in 2002 amid fears of mad cow disease from imported cattle. The labels weren't on most packages until 2009, though, due to delays pushed by the meat industry. Repeal became inevitable once the United States lost all its WTO appeals and the retaliation became a possibility. But the consumer groups criticized Congress for repealing the law for ground meat and pork in addition to the fresh cuts of meat that were the subject of WTO concerns. The bill was "a holiday gift to the meatpacking industry from Congress," complained the advocacy group Food and Water Watch. Meatpackers who buy Mexican cattle were some of the law's most aggressive opponents. The repeal also was a big defeat for lawmakers from northern border states where U.S. ranchers directly compete with Canadian ranchers. Those lawmakers insisted on including the labeling in the 2002 and 2008 farm bills and this year fought to replace it with a voluntary program once the WTO rulings came down. But after years of success, this time they were not able to find enough support. Roger Johnson of the National Farmers Union, which has heavy membership in those states, said the group was "furious" about the repeal. "Packers will be able to once again deliberately deceive consumers," Johnson said. Still, there was some good news for food labeling advocates in the spending bill. Despite an aggressive push by the food industry, lawmakers decided not to add language that would have blocked mandatory labeling of genetically modified ingredients. Also, a provision by Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski would require labeling of genetically modified salmon recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The issue is expected to come up again in 2016, with Vermont set to require labeling on genetically modified food this summer. The day the spending bill passed, Vilsack said he would try to help Congress come up with a middle ground on labeling of engineered foods "in a way that doesn't create significant market disruption, while at the same time recognizing consumers' need to know and right to know basic information." Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it had severed ties with Iran over the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran, in a worsening diplomatic crisis between the regional rivals following the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said at a news conference Iran's diplomatic mission and related entities in Saudi Arabia had been given 48 hours to leave, Reuters reported. According to the semi-official Fars news agency, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said "Saudi Arabia cannot cover up [the] mistake of executing a religious figure by announcing a cutting of diplomatic ties." The Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's ambassador and delivered a "strong protest note" objecting to Tehran's failure "to provide the necessary protection for foreign missions according to international relevant agreements and laws," according to the Saudi Press Agency, which added that the kindgo had lodged formal protests with several international bodies, including the U.N. Security Council. The family and friends of an Escondido native fatally shot by Las Vegas police while holding a cellphone that was mistaken for a gun are demanding justice for their loved one. "They took somebody's son," said Gabriela Larios, friend of 23-year-old suspect Keith Childress, Jr., who was convicted last month of multiple crimes in Arizona including armed robbery and aggravated assault. "They took our friend. We just want to know what happened and we just want to know why!" The shooting occurred Thursday after Childress had been under surveillance and fled from federal authorities, Las Vegas police said in a statement. Childress was found outside a home west of downtown. Police said his right hand held what they believed to be a firearm. Officers told him to drop the gun and ordered him to stop when he began to move toward them. Police said two officers opened fire when Childress didn't obey their commands. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later said Childress was actually holding a cellphone. Police Capt. Matt McCarthy of the department's office of Internal Oversight and Constitutional Policing said the officers shot at the man because the confrontation was in a residential area and involved a man wanted for attempted murder who they thought was holding a gun. Reinhart said Childress' family wants answers and he plans to inquire into the shooting. He said the description from police makes it appear as though Childress wanted officers to shoot him. "That did not strike me as the type of guy he was. He had two kids and a kid on the way," Reinhart told the Associated Press. Larios said she is one of many who want answers, adding that there are "non-lethal ways to bring somebody down." "They paint him to be this horrible monster," Larios said. "We don't get no answers, no apology," she said. Las Vegas police identified the two officers who shot and killed Childress on Saturday. Thirty seven-year-old Sgt. Robert Bohanon and 27-year-old Officer Blake Walford are currently on routine administrative leave. Attorney Brad Reinhart last had contact with his client, Keith Childress Jr., 23, last month when a jury was set to issue a verdict in his trial for stealing marijuana and guns from a Phoenix home in 2013. Reinhart said he texted Childress to be at the courthouse, but he never showed up. "He didn't show up for the final hearing. They had a warrant out for him," Reinhart told the Associated Press. Las Vegas police said they were assisting U.S. marshals in arresting Childress because he was accused of multiple violent felonies in Arizona including attempted murder. Reinhart said while Childress' crimes were serious, they never included a charge of attempted murder. According to Maricopa County Superior Court records, a jury convicted Childress on Dec. 17 of burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and theft. The Clark County Office of the Coroner identified Childress on Saturday and said he died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled a homicide. "He definitely got caught up in a bad situation," Reinhart said. "But, he wasn't a violent kind of guy." Meanwhile, his friend, Larios, is mourning the loss of her friend. "I'm never going to see him again," she said. "I didn't get to say bye." Allies of Saudi Arabia followed the kingdom's lead and began scaling back diplomatic ties to Iran on Monday after the ransacking of Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, violence sparked by the Saudi execution of a prominent opposition Shiite cleric. Sudan and the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain said they would sever ties with Iran, as Saudi Arabia did late Sunday. Within hours, the United Arab Emirates announced it would downgrade ties to Tehran to the level of the charge d'affaires and would only focus on economic issues. Somalia also issued a statement criticizing Iran. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said Monday on Twitter that all flights to and from Iran have been cancelled. The aviation authority said it made the decision to cancel the flights based on the severing of diplomatic relations. It urged airlines to work with customers who had pre-booked tickets to travel to and from Iran. The execution Saturday of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others convicted of terror charges the largest mass execution carried out by Saudi Arabia since 1980 laid bare the sectarian divisions gripping the region. Shiite protesters took to the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan, while Arab allies of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia lined up behind the kingdom. The escalating tensions between the two longtime regional rivals looks to further imperil efforts to end the wars in Syria and Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and Iran back rival sides. Al-Nimr was a central figure in the Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority until his arrest in 2012. He was convicted of terrorism charges but denied advocating violence. Bahrain's Sunni monarchy, which quashed mass protests by the Shiite majority in 2011 with the help of Saudi and Emirati forces, enjoys particularly close relations with Saudi Arabia, and shares Riyadh's view that Shiite Iran is intent on destabilizing the region through its various proxies. Bahraini officials have accused Iran of training militants and attempting to smuggle arms into the country, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. In October, Bahrain ordered the acting Iranian charge d'affaires to leave within 72 hours and recalled its own ambassador after alleging Iran sponsored "subversion" and "terrorism" and funneled arms to militants. Sudan's Foreign Ministry announced an "immediate severing of ties" over the diplomatic mission attacks. The statement carried by its state-run news agency said it made the decision in "solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of Iranian schemes." The UAE, a country of seven emirates, has a long trading history with Iran and is home to many ethnic Iranians. It said it would reduce the number of diplomats in Iran and would recall its ambassador "in the light of Iran's continuous interference in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels." Somalia also criticized the attack on Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran as a "flagrant violation" of international law. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the cut in relations late Sunday and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home. On Monday, Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority suspended all flights to and from Iran, saying the move was based on the kingdom's severing of diplomatic ties. The move was likely to affect the annual hajj pilgrimage. Lawmaker Mohammad Ali Esfanani, spokesman of the Judicial and Legal Committee of the Iranian parliament, said security issues and the fact that Iranian pilgrims wouldn't have consular protection inside the kingdom made halting the pilgrimage likely, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran have yet to make any formal announcement about how the diplomatic spat would affect the hajj, a pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. The hajj this year likely will begin in early September, though Muslims travel to the holy sites all year long. When Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran from 1988 to 1991, Iran stopped its pilgrims from attending the hajj. With Saudi diplomatic missions closed in Iran, it will make it difficult for Iranians to get visas for the hajj. World powers have sought to calm the tensions. Germany called on both sides to mend ties, with government spokesman Steffen Seibert telling reporters that "relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran are of fundamental importance for solving the crises in Syria and Yemen, and for the stability of the entire region." A Russian state news agency on Monday quoting an unnamed senior diplomat as saying Moscow is ready to act as a mediator in the escalating conflict. RIA Novosti did not say whether Moscow had made the mediation proposal to either side. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the Obama administration believes "diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences." "We will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions," Kirby said. Earlier Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by phone and urged Tehran to "defuse the tensions and protect the Saudi diplomats," according to a statement. The disruption in relations may have implications for peace efforts in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and others spent significant time trying to bring the countries to the negotiating table and they both sat together at talks aimed at ending the civil war. Last month, Saudi Arabia convened a meeting of Syrian opposition figures that was designed to create a delegation to attend peace talks with the Syrian government that are supposed to begin in mid-January. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Saudi Arabia supports the rebels trying to overthrow him. Meanwhile, al-Nimr's family is holding three days of mourning at a mosque in al-Awamiya village in the kingdom's al-Qatif region in predominantly Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia. The sheikh's brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, told The Associated Press that Saudi officials informed his family that the cleric had been buried in an undisclosed cemetery. Early Monday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said a shooting targeting security forces in the village killed a man and wounded a child. It offered no motive for the attack, nor for another it said saw a mob beat and briefly kidnap a man driving through the area. For the first time in more than a decade, a new mayor will be installed in Alexandria, Virginia. Allison Silberberg won the mayoral race back in November, defeating a last-minute write-in campaign launched by incumbent Bill Euille. Euille, who has served as mayor since 2003, blamed low voter turnout for his loss in the Democratic primary. He launched a write-in campaign, as it was too late for him to enter the race as an Independent. Euille never had been opposed prior to the 2015 primary. Silberberg was elected to the Alexandria City Council in 2012 and has often stood alone on the council on development votes. Her candidacy tapped into simmering discontent among some residents, who believe recently approved projects don't mesh well with the historic character of the city. She also was buoyed by Republican voters permitted to cast ballots in the open primary. A swearing-in ceremony will be held at T.C. Williams High School at 7 p.m. Monday. A woman whose loyal pit bull stood guard over her at the scene of a fire last month is charged with arson, according to Prince George's County Fire. Officials from the fire marshal's office investigating the early morning fire Dec. 2 at a home in the 4800 block of 66th Place in Landover Hills discovered evidence of an unreported fire about 8 p.m. the previous evening. April Newell, 34, is charged with arson and malicious burning in that fire. According to court documents, after an argument with her son, Newell allegedly went into his room and set some of his clothes on fire. Her son put the fire out and left. Newell was arrested Thursday and is being held on $500,000 bond. Prince George's County Fire spokesman Mark Brady said Newell was photographed the next morning lying, apparently unconscious, in a neighbor's yard with her pit bull Precious guarding her after she fled from the burning home. "Little did we know at that point when the picture was taken that the female that the dog was guarding would soon be charged with arson," Brady said. Authorities said they believe Newell was faking her injuries. When her father got out of the burning home, his daughter was already outside and told him she didn't do anything, according to court documents. Newell's father suffered burns and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Precious ended up at an animal shelter with her puppy, Molly, because of Prince George's County's ban on their breed. The next day, Precious and Molly found a new home with their owner's sister, Megan Sanchez, who lives in Montgomery County. But Sanchez and her family soon found they were unable to care for Precious or her puppy. They were able to re-home Molly, but Precious was left without a family. That's when a friend contacted Jessica Stuby and her organization, Babes 4 Bullies, for help. Stuby said Precious has been amazing companion since she began fostering her. Precious suffered from smoke inhalation as a result of the fire and also had fleas. Stuby said she wants to give Precious time to recuperate and will focus on finding her a home in 2016. Precious made headlines for her act of devotion, and firefighters said they had trouble getting to her owner because the loyal dog was standing over her. Firefighters tried to call Precious away, but she wouldn't budge and acted aggressively when they approached. They eventually deployed a powder fire extinguisher in her direction, causing Precious to run away and giving them time to get the woman onto a stretcher. That fire remains under investigation. Montgomery County police said a motorcyclist was killed after a collision between his vehicle and a car Sunday afternoon. Police responded to a call in the 1300 block of Spencerville Road just after 3 p.m. Emergency crews transported the motorcyclist to the hospital, where they later died from their injuries. The car involved in the collision stayed on the scene. Spencerville Road, also known as Maryland Route 198, was closed as investigators worked at the scene. The identity of the victim has not been released. Federal authorities are suing Volkswagen over emissions-cheating software found in nearly 600,000 vehicles sold in the United States. The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday filed a civil complaint against the German automaker in U.S. District Court in Detroit. The lawsuit alleges the company illegally installed software designed to make its diesel engines pass federal emissions standards when undergoing laboratory testing. The vehicles then switched off those measures to boost performance in real-world driving conditions. That resulted in greenhouse gas emissions at up to 40 times federal environmental standards. Volkswagen first admitted in September that the cheating software was included in its diesel cars sold since the 2009 model year. The company could still face separate criminal charges and is negotiating a massive recall with U.S. regulators. Seventeen people were arrested at an underage drinking party in Gilford, New Hampshire, over the weekend. Gilford Police said they responded to a noise complaint in the area of Silver Street at 1:19 a.m. Sunday and found that an underage drinking party was taking place. Seventeen people were charged with unlawful possession of alcohol. GIlford and Laconia police transported the 17 individuals to the police statoin for booking. From there, they were either brought back to the home where the party was taken place or released to sober parties in the lobby. All 17 are scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 18 at 8:15 a.m. in Laconia District Court. Gilford Police said the incident remains under investigation, and all of those involved were from Massachusetts. A subdued Bill Clinton offered a deeply personal endorsement of his wife's presidential campaign in New Hampshire Monday, telling voters that Hillary Clinton's plans offer the best chance for the country to achieve economic prosperity and a secure future. In a wide-ranging address that took voters through Hillary Clinton's work as a young lawyer in Arkansas, ways to combat heroin addiction, the political achievements of President Barack Obama and the failings of America's fourteenth president, Franklin Pierce, Bill Clinton argued that the Democratic front-runner offers the best plan to restore "broadly shared prosperity." The event marked the former president's debut solo appearance for his wife's campaign, part of a broader strategy to deploy Bill Clinton publicly in the run-up to early voting next month. "I do not believe in my lifetime anybody has run for this job at a moment of great importance who was better qualified by knowledge, experience and temperament to do what needs to be done now," he told several hundred New Hampshire voters gathered in a college auditorium. His appearance comes after days of attacks over his impeachment and decades-old sex scandal by Republican front-runner Donald Trump. "I don't really care about Monica Lewinsky other than I think that Hillary was an enabler and a lot of things happened that were obviously very seedy," Trump said in an interview with CNN Monday. "I mean, he was impeached, for heaven's sake. He was impeached over this stuff." So far, Bill Clinton has remained silent about Trump's slams - following the lead of his wife's campaign, which believes their candidate comes across as more presidential by rising above what they see as the Republican's crass political tactics. He spoke calmly and quietly in New Hampshire on Monday, methodically describing the issues he sees as motivating voters in the next election. Clinton warned voters that the next president could appoint as many as three Supreme Court justices and reverse the health care law and environmental programs of the Obama administration. Hillary Clinton, her husband said, offers the best path to economic prosperity, dealing with social problems like heroin addiction and foreign policy that doesn't undermine the American character. "I think it is the plan that offers the best chance to have the most rapid movement to broadly shared propserity," he said. Still, some of Trump's attacks seem to have struck a nerve. At a campaign event in New Hampshire on Sunday, Katherine Prudhomme O'Brien heckled Clinton about her husband's sexual history, accusing her of enabling him to mistreat women. "You are very rude and I'm not going to ever call on you," Clinton snapped at O'Brien, after repeated shouted interruptions by the New Hampshire state representative. The former president, too, has been known to become heated when he feels his wife is under attack, as he did during the 2008 primary with remarks about then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama that angered black voters in South Carolina. Clinton supporters believe the attacks will backfire, particularly in the general election. Hillary Clinton had some of her highest approval ratings in the wake of disclosures about her husband's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. After months of having her husband focus on private fundraisers, Clinton said in a December debate that she would turn to Bill Clinton for advice should she win the White House, particularly on economic issues. Their schedules on Monday showed the degree to which the ubiquitous political couple will be able to blanket the early primary states in the next two months as Democrats hold contests in Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina. While the former president was drumming up support for his wife in New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton was starting a two-day "river-to-river" tour of Iowa, holding town hall meetings and organizing events across the state. Bill Clinton's longstanding ability to raise money will also be an asset in the weeks ahead, with fundraisers on the calendar in New York, Seattle, Phoenix, Albuquerque, N.M., Cleveland and Fairfield, Conn. The finance events will allow Hillary Clinton to spend more time on the ground in Iowa and also in New Hampshire, where polls have shown her trailing Sanders, who represents neighboring Vermont. The couple's daughter, Chelsea Clinton, was also getting into the act, headlining fundraisers of her own in Boston, Atlanta and Chicago next week. Some predict 2016 will be the year of the cloud. While that may be up for debate, whats not is that there are a whole slew of cloud computing-related conferences on tap for the year. + MORE AT NETWORK WORLD: Rain clouds ahead 10 bold predictions for the cloud market in 2016 | Video: 2015 a Year in Review in the cloud + Below is a chronological list of the biggest cloud computing conferences scheduled for this year. If there are others weve missed, leave them in the comments. Thanks to ProfitBricks for many of these suggestions. IBM InterConnect When: February 21-25 Where: Las Vegas, NV InterConnect is IBMs conference focused specifically on cloud and mobile. It will feature performances by Elton John and PitBull. More information: IBM InterConnect RSA Conference When: Feb. 29- March 4 Where: San Francisco While RSA is known as one of the premier security conferences, securing cloud platforms is a major theme each year. More information: RSA Conference 451 Research Cloud Computing Executive Summit When: March 8 Where: New York City Leading analyst and research firm 451 holds an annual summit focused on cloud computing best practices, user stories and networking. More information: 451 Cloud Computing Executive Summit Amazon Amazon Web Services Senior Vice President Andy Jassy opens the re:Invent 2015 keynote Google Cloud NEXT When: March 23-24 Where: San Francisco Google Next will feature keynote speeches, technical sessions and a solutions showcase all focused on Googles Cloud Platform. A major highlight will be Diane Greene the newly appointed head of Googles cloud operations delivering a keynote, her first major appearance since taking over that role. More information: Google Cloud Next Microsoft Build When: March 30-April 1 Where: San Francisco This is Microsofts developer-focused conference. Microsoft has four major conferences this year. In addition to Build, Microsoft hosts Convergence, its conference for business leaders April 4-7 in New Orleans; its Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) is July 10-14 in Toronto; and Microsoft Ignite, which is for IT professionals, is Sept. 26-30 in Atlanta. More information: Microsoft event lineup IEEE International Conference on Cloud Engineering (IC2E) 2016 When: April 4-8 Where: Berlin, Germany IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers) is a leading engineering organization. Their conferences attract some of the smartest minds across academia and industry to share the latest cutting edge research across a variety of topic areas. In addition to the second annual cloud computing conference, IEEE is also hosting a big data security conference, which will include a track on hosting and securing big data in the cloud. That conference is April 9-10 in New York City. More information:IC2E and IEEE Big Data Security/Cloud Computing Martyn Williams The entrance to Salesforce.com's Dreamforce at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on Sept. 14, 2015. OpenStack Summit When: April 25-29 Where: Austin, Texas OpenStack returns to its birthplace in Austin for the domestic version of its semi-annual conference. At each OpenStack conference a new version of the open source IaaS software is released, vendors display the latest distributions and developers plan the next major release. More information: OpenStack Summit Cloud Connect/Interop When: May 2-6 Where: Las Vegas The premier networking event each year has a track focused specifically on cloud computing, which includes user implementation stories, presentations by vendors and usually a big-name keynote. More information: Interop Cloud Connect Cloud Foundry Summit When: May 24-25 Where: Santa Clara, Calif. Cloud Foundry is arguably the leading open source platform as a service (PaaS), used by some of the biggest names in technology from IBM to Pivotal and many others. The Summit is a place to discuss user implementations and planning of the open source project. More information: Cloud Foundry Summit Red Hat Summit When: June 28-July 1 Where: San Francisco Red Hat Summit is the go-to conference for all things related to Red Hat, and many other open source technologies. It has a strong cloud component, particularly focused on the companys OpenShift PaaS and OpenStack IaaS products. The Summit volleys between the east and west coasts each year. More information: Red Hat Summit Cisco Live When: July 10-14 Where: Las Vegas While Cisco Live is not focused specifically on cloud computing, the topic will certainly be discussed. More Information: Cisco Live Gartner Catalyst Conference When: Aug. 15-18 Where: San Diego Gartner, the leading research and analyst firm, and its Catalyst Conference offers a variety of tracks focused on new technologies. Catalyst includes a track focused on architecting a cloud-first digital business. More information: Gartner Catalyst VMWorld has one of the largest trade exhibits of any cloud conference. VMworld 2016 When: Aug. 28-Sept. 1 (VMworld Barcelona is Oct. 17-20) Where: Las Vegas (note VMworld has moved from San Francisco to Las Vegass Mandalay Bay Convention Center) VMworld has evolved from the go-to virtualization conference to now being the go-to data center conference. With VMware and parent company EMC coming under the wings of Dell, this years conference will be as interesting as ever. More information: VMworld 2016 Oracle OpenWorld When: Oct. 18-22 Where: San Francisco Oracle is attempting to assert itself as a major cloud computing vendor. While it has transitioned many of its applications to a SaaS model, it is still looking to build up its IaaS and PaaS components. More information: Oracle OpenWorld Dreamforce 16 When: Oct. 4-7 Where: San Francisco Dreamforce is the central SaaS conference, attracting more than 120,000 people. Last year Salesforce claimed that Dreamforce had gotten so big that it had to rent a cruise ship to house attendees who could not find a hotel room. More information: DreamForce Amazon re:Invent When: Nov. 28-Dec. 2 Where: Las Vegas Amazon Web Services re:Invent conference is considered by many to be the major public cloud conference of the year. AWSs usually reveals a couple of big products at the event, which is headlined by keynotes from Amazon Senior Vice President Andy Jassy and Amazon CTO Werner Vogels. More information: Amazon re:Invent TV star helps unveil centre at student awards ceremony TELEVISION star and survival expert Bear Grylls paid a visit to Hungerford recently to help unveil the John OGaunt Schools new 1.5m Bear Grylls Inspiration Centre. The host of Running Wild, who was this month seen on TV putting President of the United States Barack Obama through his paces in Alaska, made a Christmas visit to the school to open the centre and also congratulate award-winning students. The pupils received the awards for their successes including high performance in English, maths and other subjects, as well as for a string of other special achievements. Grylls said: Its a real honour to be part of the launch of the Inspiration Centre. It is a privilege to help support bringing excellent education to hundreds of children in Hungerford. I hope this serves to inspire many young people to fulfil their potential and to aim for the stars. The new centre contains thousands of books, as well as iPads and TV screens and also large portraits of inspirational figures including Sir Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Deborah Meaden, and President Obama. Headteacher at John OGaunt, Alan Henderson, said: What a wonderful evening. We are so grateful for Bear to spend time congratulating and inspiring our amazing students. We want this new new Bear Grylls Inspiration Centre to continue to inspire thousands of students to achieve incredible things and to believe that all things are possible. Thank you for visiting us! But, the requested page is currently unavailable. Kindly start browsing from our Home Page Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Reporter Tim Mitchell is a reporter at The News-Gazette. His email is tmitchel@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@mitchell6). Bernard Puglisi talks about flight training on a T-34 in the Marines during the Viet Nam war. At his office in Champaign on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. insights from industry Crowdsourcing rare disease diagnosis An interview with Dr. Teri Willochell, Nicole Boice and Peter Kirk An interview with Dr. Willochell, Nicole Boice and Peter Kirk, conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, MA (Cantab) What are the current main challenges in the diagnosis of a rare disease and how long does it typically take? Nicole Boice (NB): The main challenges in the diagnosis of rare disease are apparent, there are 7,000 identified rare diseases with hundreds of new diseases being discovered annually. It still takes an average of 7.2 years to properly diagnose a rare disease because our healthcare providers are not equipped with enough information and expertise to make the proper diagnosis right away. Right now, the healthcare system is still designed to start diagnosis via a general practitioner rather than a specialist. There is a new form of thinking and schooling in development that suggests the first line of defense and diagnosis should be a geneticist, to get to the root of the problem first. Please can you give an introduction to medical crowdsourcing and the potential impact it could have on the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases? Dr Teri Willochell (TW): To me, medical crowdsourcing is like the ultimate consult service. A question arises, it is asked on the forum, and you can get answers from multiple specialties within minutes. It is harnessing the brightest minds in one place and using that power to do what we enjoy doing most helping people. NB: The more great minds we have to tackle the problem the better chance we have of finding the solution. Over the last few years crowdsourcing has changed business and fundraising models. In regards to healthcare, it truly is the power of varied expertise coming together to help tackle some of the greatest challenges. Physician social network SERMO and rare disease patient advocacy organization Global Genes recently announced a partnership. How do you hope this will help doctors to diagnose and treat rare diseases? TW: I believe that this collaboration will help put some of the rare diseases into physicians consciousness when they encounter patients with unusual symptoms. It will also help those physicians taking care of patients with rare diseases not feel so alone. To me, its a win-win situation. NB: We are very excited about the partnership. We have already seen and continue to see the power of this network help patients through programs like our current RARE Concierge Program. Can you explain how the new program SERMOheroes will work? Peter Kirk, CEO of SERMO (PK): The SERMOheroes program connects rare disease patients to targeted physicians through SERMO, the leading global social media network for doctors and the home of medical crowdsourcing. Global Genes initiates the process, as they regularly work with rare disease patients and their families through the Rare Concierge program. If the patients doctor is not a SERMO member, the patient is paired with a SERMOhero, a physician who volunteers to sponsor (post) their case on the social network. The SERMOhero works with the patient and their family, Global Genes, and/or the treating physician to collect all relevant information about the case, posts the case in the SERMO community for physicians to consult on and acts as a liaison to gain additional information as requested. Once a consensus is reached, the SERMOhero provides a brief for the patient and their treating physician. What impact will this have on patients lives? TW: Patients will have the advantage of the collective knowledge of hundreds of thousands of physicians worldwide to help with their diagnosis and treatment. All in a short period of time, all at no cost to them. How is the SERMOheroes service being funded and how do you think this will affect the medical costs associated with diagnosing and treating patients with rare diseases? PK: SERMOheroes is a partnership between SERMO and Global Genes. The service is free to patients and participating physicians (SERMOheroes and the consulting physicians) are not paid for their participation. Our hope is to alleviate some of the burden of cost for rare disease patients by using medical crowdsourcing to help them get the right diagnoses and treatments faster. What will be the main challenges and how do you hope to overcome them? TW: One challenge will be getting the information between SERMO members and the organization. I will be acting as a liaison along with a few others members of the community and the organization. With email and texting, this shouldnt be as taxing as it would have been even a few years ago. What do you think the future holds for the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases and how do you think technology will impact whats possible? TW: Hopefully, with newer genetic testing and interventions and better diagnostic techniques, rare diseases will become more mainstream; physicians will know more about them and how to better treat them. What potential does crowdsourcing have for other areas of medicine? TW: Possible novel treatments for diseases, reporting of drug-drug interactions or adverse reactions, new potential surgical interventions or techniques the possibilities are endless. Where can readers find more information? Infographic - http://www.sermo.com/assets/pdf/Rare_Disease_Infographic_finalv2.pdf About Dr. Teri Willochell, Nicole Boice and Peter Kirk Dr. Teri Willochell is a board certified internist in the Pittsburgh area, where she has lived and practiced for the past 18 years. After finishing her residency at UPMC Mercy, she joined the teaching faculty there and taught future physicians for 14 years. Recently, desiring the return to patient care, she made the change to urgent care and now works at MedExpress Urgent Care. She is married and has a 14 year old daughter. Nicole Boice founded Global Genes in 2008, with the goal of helping families affected by rare disease connect with tools, resources, and much needed support, helping eliminate the challenges of rare disease. Since its inception, Global Genes has impacted hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide. Nicole was personally touched by rare disease through friends, whose son struggled to find a diagnosis for 2.5 years. Once diagnosed, they learned that there were neither treatments nor cures for their sons disease. She understands the importance of finding a diagnosis, and has built an organization to help address this problem. Nicole has held numerous consulting, sales, and marketing executive roles in her 25 years of experience. Nicole has worked with world-class organizations in media, pharmaceutical and high tech sectors Schering Plough, CMP Media, United Business Media, and Burrill & Company. A Graduate of the University of California San Diego, Nicole is a proud wife, mother of two children, and adopted mother of two dogs. Peter Kirk is the CEO of SERMO. Since launching the company in 2000, Peter has grown the organization into an enterprise with close to 300 employees in 10 global offices and a global network of close to two million healthcare professionals. Under Peters leadership, SERMO membership has increased 100 percent year over year, and the social community now has over 343,000 physicians from over 90 different specialties and sub-specialtiesapproximately 40 percent of all U.S. physicians. Peter holds a Masters in Finance from London Business School. MUSC researchers received a $1.68 million National Institutes of Health grant to explore a better treatment for chronic pancreatitis, with the hopes that it also may shed light on a future cure for patients with type 1 diabetes. Hongjun Wang, Ph.D., of the Medical University of South Carolina's Department of Surgery, is leading a collaborative team to study ways to increase the survival of the islet graft following islet cell transplantation for chronic pancreatitis patients. Islets are tiny clusters of cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Researchers in Wang's lab earlier piloted a smaller study looking at the protective effects of Alpha 1 anti-trypsin (AAT) in mice islet transplantation using human islets from cadaveric donors. The results showed that infusion with AAT prevented the mice from getting diabetes and improved liver implantation. AAT is a protein made in the liver. Normally, the protein travels through the bloodstream, helping to protect the body's organs from the harmful effects of other proteins. The five-year NIH grant involves infusing AAT into patients who have had their pancreas removed for one month by a weekly IV infusion. The study will examine whether humans will replicate the success seen in the mouse model. "The goal is to lessen the number of patients who are diabetic at the end of 1 year," Wang said. How the anti-inflammatory properties of AAT work remains unknown. "Through studies like this, the investigators seek to understand how AAT works in the body to lessen cellular stress," she said. "AAT, most commonly used for the treatment of emphysema for more than 25 years, has an excellent safety record," Wang said. "The islet autotransplantation model offers a unique opportunity to assess the direct effect of AAT on human islets in the absence of an immune response. "While much of the work associated with AAT has been directed at lung and liver disease, it may help in the treatment of other diseases, including chronic pancreatitis, which can be incredibly painful," Wang said. Chronic pancreatitis is caused by inflammation of the pancreas gland, an organ that has a duct connecting it to the intestine. The pancreas gland is responsible for excreting many of the enzymes that allow us to digest food. These enzymes are inflammatory if they get into the body's tissues. The pancreas gland also secretes hormones into the blood. The most important of these is insulin. Inflammation and destruction of the pancreas gland is caused by a variety of conditions including some common drugs, high levels of triglycerides and too much alcohol. The duct that leaves the gland can become scarred and blocked and the pancreas enzymes can further destroy the gland. The result is a painful condition that has few cures. One of the treatments is a pancreatectomy or surgical removal of the pancreas. "But the surgery creates problems, too," Wang said. "It means all of the patient's islet cells also are removed, taking away the patient's insulin and making the patient diabetic, which creates other lifelong complications." Wang is putting to good use her research expertise in islet cell transplantation, gained at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School. That's where she worked as instructor and assistant professor for almost 10 years before coming to MUSC, where she serves as co-scientific director of the Center for Cellular Therapy. The clean cell facility is the second largest autologous islet transplantation center in the United States. Islet cell transplantation is a technique in which the pancreas gland is taken to a laboratory after removal while the cells are still alive. The gland is then gently digested to break it into different cell types. The islet cells are separated and injected back into the patient to go the liver in the hope that they will stay in the liver and continue to secrete insulin. "In the best outcomes, the patient would not be diabetic at all," Wang said. The number of cells that survive determines the severity of a patient's diabetes after removal of the pancreas. This surgery is done at only a small number of specialty centers because of the detail and expertise involved. According to Wang, the value of working in islet cell transplantation research at MUSC is the expertise of the clinicians. MUSC is a designated National Pancreas Foundation center, focusing on the multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of pancreatitis, including access to expert surgeons in the field of chronic pancreatitis. "This study is half basic science and half clinical. At MUSC, we have the some of the best pancreatic surgeons in the country, and if we have questions in the research environment, we can work directly with the surgeons to find solutions," said Wang. "We are excited to be at the cutting edge of translating basic science research into clinical outcomes that will change the way we treat not only patients who suffer from chronic pancreatitis but eventually patients with type 1 diabetes," Wang said. "Just imagine a day when people with type 1 diabetes no longer need to take their insulin. That's the future. That's the direction we are going." Telemedicine is changing the way patient care is provided in a growing number of intensive care units (ICUs) across the country, and tele-ICU nurses - who see its impact firsthand - say it provides an opportunity to improve care, according to results of a national survey published in the American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC). The article, "Assessing the Impact of Telemedicine on Nursing Care in Intensive Care Units," reports the results of a two-phase study to assess nurses' perceptions of ICU telemedicine and identify priority areas for tele-ICU nursing. According to the study, the United States has approximately 45 tele-ICUs with monitoring capacity for more than 6,000 patients at over 200 hospitals, impacting care for an estimated 12 percent of ICU patients in the country. Between 800 and 1,000 nurses currently practice in tele-ICUs, interfacing from remote monitoring sites with another 16,000 staff nurses who are at the bedside. Lead author Ruth Kleinpell, RN, PhD, APRN-BC, CCRN, is director of the Center for Clinical Research at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, and a professor at Rush University College of Nursing. "The majority of participants thought that tele-ICUs enhanced patient care, improved productivity and collaboration and made their job easier," Kleinpell said. "This growing subspecialty of critical care nursing has tremendous potential to affect patients, patients' families and the entire healthcare team." The national benchmarking survey of tele-ICU nurses identified barriers and benefits to telemedicine with respect to nursing care. The study also assessed priority areas of care for tele-ICU nurses to form the foundation for developing competencies for tele-ICU nursing. A total of 1,213 nurses responded to the initial online survey, three-quarters of whom were hospital-based bedside nurses who interface with a tele-ICU. Another 13 percent were nurses who work in a remote tele-ICU location, and approximately 10 percent were nurses who work in both capacities. More than 75 percent of participants agreed or strongly agreed that tele-ICU systems offer nurses an opportunity to improve patient care and that tele-ICU is useful in their job. A majority also agreed that tele-ICUs improve collaboration, job performance and communication, as well as being useful in nursing assessments and allowing bedside nurses more time for patient care. Specific benefits to using tele-ICU systems include: Monitor trends in vital signs Detect unstable physiological status Provide medical management Enhance patient safety Detect arrhythmias Prevent self-extubation Prevent falls Participants also identified barriers related to tele-ICUs, including technical problems (audio and video), interrupting care, perceptions of telemedicine as an interference and attitudes of ICU staff. During the second part of the study, 60 respondents developed a ranked list of 15 priority areas of care for tele-ICU nursing. Critical thinking skills, ICU experience, skillful communication, mutual respect and emergency patient care management were ranked as the most important abilities overall. Prabhas Fans To Get Two Surprises On His Birthday; Know What They Are Jemal Countess/Getty Images(NASHUA, N.H.) -- Former President Bill Clinton took the high road Monday morning in his first public reaction to Donald Trump since the GOP front-runner began attacking him as a "sexist. Asked by ABC News whether his sexual history was fair game in the campaign, Clinton said the Republicans have to decide who they want to nominate. I'm trying to tell the Democrats and the country why I think Hillary would be the best president. I think there's always attempts to take the election away from the people, he continued. He declined to elaborate on any of Trumps claims. Clinton spoke to just over 700 supporters at Nashua Community College in New Hampshire as he hit the campaign trail for the first time in 2016, touting Hillary Clinton as the only candidate who could restore America to prosperity. Hillary Clinton, who held three town halls in New Hampshire on Sunday, has put the brakes on her usual Trump attacks since the New York real estate mogul began highlighting Bill Clintons sexual liaisons in the White House. At times in 2008, President Clinton was called a liability to his wifes campaign, veering off-message to attack Barack Obama. On Monday, he kept his temper in check, but offered some lines that could be construed as needling Trumps anti-immigration policies. Bill Clinton said the next president must preserve our individual liberties, and our reputation for being an open country, pointing to the story of a Muslim immigrant who took to his prayer mat after he narrowly avoided armed robbery, praying his family could join him in America. That guy is more representative of most Muslims in America than what happened in San Bernardino, the former president said to applause. He also dismissed the notion, held by some Trump supporters, that the business mogul might abandon his more outlandish plans once elected. Its kind of scary this year, Bill Clinton warned, but believe it or not, most everybody actually tries to do what they say they're going to do when they're running. They're telling you what they believe. And so you've got to take them seriously. Trump, meanwhile, was slated to speak later Monday in Lowell, Massachusetts, less than 30 miles from where former President Clinton held his first event. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The mega Cabinet reshuffle took place on Sunday with 17 new faces in the Manmohan Singh government. The schools in and around Central Virginia will face distinct challenges related to their unique demographics and strategies in the year ahead, but state issues will form an even stronger central theme than usual, especially as new federal legislation returns more accountability to the states. That legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act, replaces the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and brings active state projects and programs to new importance. Those projects include some tweaks to state accreditation; continued efforts by the new Standards of Learning Innovation Committee; Governor Terry McAuliffes proposed budget, which sets education funding as its top priority; and the continued increase of the funding burden on localities as state funding and enrollment drops in Southern and Central Virginia, as well as ongoing local division issues. ESSA Both ESSA and NCLB were updates and reauthorizations to the civil rights-minded Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. NCLB was originally hailed as providing greater accountability for student subgroups, preventing schools from hiding failure to serve groups of students like those who are economically disadvantaged, have disabilities, or are minorities or English language learners behind averages including the majority groups they served better. But NCLB, introduced and authorized quickly in former President George W. Bushs first term, was widely criticized as having a test-and-punish approach to education. Under No Child Left Behind, I believe that the idea that we could punish schools or punish teachers if individual student scores werent at a certain place has done a lot of damage to public education, Campbell County Schools Assistant Superintendent Robert Arnold said. Waivers allowed under NCLB which Virginia took advantage of helped shape the new law, and mean its impact wont be dramatic, at least initially. The new federally-approved state standards model is similar to Virginias existing state system, but schools wont have two sets of reports to file and accreditations to track and educators are excited to concentrate on meeting state benchmarks. Lynchburg City Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand said: You could do well under the state system but fail under the federal system. Weve got to change the whole discussion away from talking about failing schools and more about what [is] necessary to make sure that every kid succeeds. In particular, some groups are keeping tabs on how well states will track and serve subgroups without as much federal power behind the review, but local educators have said theyre confident Virginias system will maintain attention to these groups. Change in accreditation ratings The even greater emphasis on the state system brings its standards to a new level of importance. The state got ahead of the federal game this year with tweaks to its benchmarks designed to highlight whether schools that are not fully accredited have missed by only a narrow margin or are making sizable gains. Partially accredited and improving schools ratings do not change the rigorous standards adopted in 2009, which led to massive drops in accreditation rates across the state as schools struggled to adjust to new exams in 2011 and 2012, while dealing with severe recession-driven budget cuts. But these added rating sub-classifications may give a more accurate picture of the work schools are really doing. Frankly I think it was a little demoralizing to teachers to be told every year, Even though youre clearly on the right track, youre clearly making great gains, its fail, fail, fail, State Superintendent Steven Staples said in a telephone interview earlier this fall. Like the federal decision to replace No Child Left Behind, the change in state accreditation ratings comes from what educators across the area, state and country have said is a need for a better understanding of what makes a good education, a good teacher or a good school and that the public needs to be aware that a school cannot be reduced to its test scores. Most people assume if you have low test scores, then your teachers are bad, your schools are bad, and whats missing from that equation is the starting line, Staples said in the fall. We know where they ended up; we dont know where they started. To accomplish these purposes, educators have said, changing both federal law and state accreditation standards is only one piece of the necessary effort. Innovation Committee One state effort praised by educators in the region is the bipartisan Standards of Learning Innovation Committee, created in the 2014 legislative session to propose ideas on assessment, including more individualized measures of growth; classroom teaching and changes to SOL assessments, especially to better bring them in line with the Standards of Learning themselves. This is the first step in ensuring that our education system works for Virginias students, teachers and families, Gov. Terry McAuliffe said, according to a news release when the committee was announced. While we have already reduced the amount of SOL tests, the real work begins with enacting reforms to our educational system that will prepare our students for jobs of the 21st century. In October, the committee approved their second round of recommendations, which emphasize a broader view of achievement by both students and schools. The recommendations repeatedly call for fewer, shorter, better quality tests; assessments such as portfolios that measure a student meaningfully over time; more collaboration between the state and schools, especially directly with teachers, as well as between divisions; more comprehensive school report cards that dont reduce school quality to test scores and sufficient funding to support the needed development. The most recent report is available at education.virginia.gov/initiatives/sol-innovation. Governors budget McAuliffes proposed two-year budget, announced shortly before schools recessed for winter holidays, seems to answer the call for sufficient funding, though local educators are still parsing the impact it will have. "The innovative investments the Governor announced today will help us address equity, access, and completion in the Commonwealth's higher education system, said Secretary of Education Anne Holton in a news release from the governors office. We must begin laying the groundwork for success in the new Virginia economy, and it starts here with the Governor's bold agenda." McAuliffe spoke several times throughout the fall about focusing on K-12 education. The $109 billion plan includes an additional billion dollars for education, including higher education. Divisions receive specific information from the state on how the budget breaks down for them, and then have to trace how it will affect their own budget needs and requests from their local governments. The proposed budget includes fully funding the cost of re-benchmarking the Standards of Quality, which was also one of the needs identified by the Innovation Committee, at $429.8 million. A major headline of the plan has been the restoration of teacher positions cut during the recession, with $139.1 million included for 2,500 new teachers. The state has around 1.3 million public school students and over 2,000 public schools, meaning about one more teacher per 520 students or about one more teacher per school. It is not yet clear how exactly these additional positions will be placed. The proposal also includes $83.2 million for a 2 percent salary increase for teachers that would not take effect until 2017, disappointing some division officials who hoped for an increase for this year and feel they may need to fund cost of living pay increases locally. Another large line item is $30 million in contributions to fund teacher retirement. The governors spending plan offers support both to school systems in poverty, with $50 million for dropout prevention, parent engagement, English language learners and similar needs; and to more affluent areas, with $41 million for cost to compete adjustments. Program-specific education initiatives also include $6.9 million for early childhood grants; $5 million for computer adaptive testing, of which local superintendents have spoken in favor to lessen testing time and student frustration; $5 million for career and technical education, or CTE, for credentialing and equipment and $1.1 million to support computer science training for teachers. Who are the 13? DC just retconned new Golden Age characters into continuity Meet the 13 characters retroactively added to DC's Golden Age era in Flashpoint Beyond #6 Almost two years later, five nationals still in Venezuelan prison Next week Tuesday the five will again be taken to court for yet another hearing. But yesterday, attorney Nafessa Mohammed and activist Umar Abdullah, both of whom have been making representation on the mens behalf, said that confusion still reigns as to what charges, if any, had been proffered against the five by the Venezuelan authorities. The men are: Wade Charles, Dominic Pitlal, Leslie Daisley, Asim Luqman, Andre Battersby and Joseph Jules. They are from East Trinidad and had travelled to Caracas, but on March 19, 2014, they, together with 20 other nationals of Muslim faith, including three Imams, women and children, were arrested in a hotel in Caracas by Venezuelan police on suspicion of terrorism. They were there seeking to secure visas to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform a pilgrimage called: Umrah. On March 25, 2014, the Imams, four women and eleven children, were released and they returned to Trinidad, but the womens husbands, five of them, were detained at Sebin Prison, Caracas. Since March 2014, there has been a mere six court appearance of Charles, Pitlal, Daisley, Luqman, Battersby and Jules, the latter a Haitian by birth and naturalised citizen of Venezuela who has been living in Trinidad. The men continue to be locked up in a cell under inhumane conditions. Their wives in Trinidad have staged demonstrations and petitioned for their husbands release, whilst Mohammed and Abdullah have continued to publicly appeal to local authorities here in Trinidad and Tobago, to utilise diplomatic channels to secure a definite status as to why the five have not had any court trial on a definite charge. Mohammed, a former State Attorney in the Office of the Attorney General, told Newsday yesterday that she had been informed that next week Tuesday would be a scheduled court hearing for the men. As to the status of the case hearing, she said that confusion as to whether the men have actually been charged with any offences, still seems to be a hovering as an issue, both in Venezuela, and in Trinidad. Mohammed said that the men were being represented by attorneys in Caracas, and she had been informed that legal arguments were still in the process of being submitted to a judge to determine the nature of the charges. Mohammed said, As to whether the men have been charged, still remains a controversial issue. The system there is a bit different than in our jurisdiction. I have since learnt that the prosecution was considering laying money-laundering charges against the men. So, what we have been hearing about terrorism charges having been laid against the men, seems quite odd. When the men were held, it was reported in Venezuelan newspapers that a quantity of United States dollars and cellphones were found in their possession and had been seized. Mohammed said that certificates of characater and criminal records, which indicated the five men have no convictions or pending criminal cases in Trinidad, have been submitted to the Venezuelan authorities. We continue to press through diplomatic channels, to share as much information to the authorities in Caracas and coorperate fully, to ensure release of these five men, Mohammed said. Abdullah, who travelled to Caracas on two occasions and stayed there for several months during which he assisted in the provision of food for the men, said yesterday that since the PNM government took office, a delegation had gone to Venezuela, discussions were held and the trial got underway. Abdullah said, Our ambassador in Venezuela David Edghill, represented our nationals at every hearing thus far. The delegation from Venezuela also visited Trinidad and Tobago where further discussions were held. This act of the PNM government made it possible for the matter to be heard expeditiously. Abdullah said that during his recent meeting with National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, he raised the issue, and he (Dillon) gave assurances that all efforts have been made to secure the freedom of all nationals. US Military Really Didn't Want You to Know What's in New Washington Post Investigation (Newser) When archaeologists unearthed nearly 30 "talking knots" at the archaeological complex of Incahuasi in Peru in 2014, the 500-year-old bounty was notable because the knots, called khipus, had only previously been documented in graves, reported Discovery at the time. This left scientists little to go on aside from the basic math that could be performed using the knots placed along the cotton or woolen cords. But this Incahuasi batch was found alongside foods such as corn, beans, and peppers, suggesting that they were used for record-keeping. Archaeological conservator Patricia Landa has been painstakingly cleaning and untangling the Inca tools in the hopes that actual context may help researchers read more than just numbers, reports the New York Times. Khipus consist of several strings (sometimes as many as 2,000) hanging from a main cord, typically made from llama or alpaca hair, with knots in certain locations and styles. Even the string itself can be differently colored and twisted, and is laid out in a base-10 positional system that produced highly complex record-keeping. In fact some 1,500 units of information can be displayed using khipus, reports Asian Scientist Magazine, compared to the fewer than 800 contained in Egyptian hieroglyphs. The ledgers are thought to have helped track anything from taxes to military organization. "We can look at how the chili pepper khipu differs from the peanut khipu and from the corn khipu in terms of their color and other characteristics and we can build up a kind of sign vocabulary of how they were signifying this or that thing in their world," leading khipu expert Gary Urton, who runs the Khipu Database Project at Harvard, tells the Times. "Its tremendously exciting." (This Peruvian mummy predates the Incas.) (Newser) Students at a primary school in Scotland are set to get a real-life forensics lesson thanks to a centuries-old skeletonbelieved to be that of a piratefound last year beneath their playground, the Telegraph reports. Workers unearthed the remains while doing survey work for a planned extension at Victoria Primary School in Edinburgh. Initially believed to be from the Bronze Age due to their poor condition, the remains have since been carbon dated to the 16th or 17th century, according to a press release. Based on a facial reconstruction of the skull, it is believed that the skeleton belonged to a man in his 50s. Archaeologists have determined, the press release says, "that the skeleton was likely to have been a murder victimand quite possibly a pirate." That conclusion is supported by a gibbeta type of gallows the release notes was "commonly used to execute witches and pirates"that stood 600 years ago near where the school is now located. And, the man was unceremoniously buried close to sea, rather than in nearby graveyards. His body was likely "displayed in plain sight of ships to deter fellow pirates" before being "discarded in nearby wasteland," per the release. Given the school's proximity to the harbor in the historic fishing village of Newhaven, workers had anticipated finding remains of the original harbor and shipbuilding. The pupils think its fantastic that a skeleton was found deep underneath their playground," the head teacher says, adding that the archaeologists plan to hold a special lesson for them about the find. (Some ancient bones in Ireland are revealing the origins of early settlers there.) (Newser) The protesters who seized control of an unoccupied building at a national wildlife refuge in Oregon over the weekend are armed, angry, and apparently hunkering down for a long stay. "We will be here for as long as it takes," Army veteran Ryan Payne tells the New York Times. He says the goal of protesterswho traveled to Oregon to support father-and-son ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, facing prison time for burning federal landis to return federal land to the people and there has already been talk of renaming the Malheur Wildlife Refuge the "Harney County Liberty Center." Local authorities have asked people to steer clear of the area for now. In other developments: The militiamen say they are trying to "restore" people's rights, though Harney County Sheriff David Ward describes them as treasonous. They came to the county "claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers, when in reality these men had alternative motives to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States," he said in a statement. It's not clear how many protesters are actually at the site in eastern Oregon, and the number could be anywhere from 15 to 150, reports the Oregonian, which describes the occupier as "militants." There were no workers on site when the protesters arrived, and law enforcement officials haven't restricted access to the site or blocked roads in the area. Protest leader Ammon Bundy, son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, said on Sunday that the occupiers have a plan in place that will take several months to accomplishand that the refuge has been a "tool of tyranny" since it was established in 1908, reports Oregon Public Broadcasting. Bundy said the occupiers are there to "defend the people" and they don't plan to use force, but they will if they have to. Bundy has called for militia members from across the country to join the protest in Oregon, His brother Ryan tells the AP that they want the land to be free from federal oversight, so people can use it for logging, ranching, and mining as they see fit. Susan Hammond, meanwhile, whose husband and son are due to report to prison Monday morning, tells OPB that she's unsure of the protesters' motives. "I don't even know what 'occupying the refuge' means. I can't judge whats going on out there because I dont know what it is," she said. "I hope theyve got some warm clothes." CNN reports that the Hammonds' lawyer has made it clear that the Bundys and their followers do not speak for them. (Read more Oregon stories.) (Newser) As head of security for public schools in Fairfax County, Va.the nation's 10th largest school districtTom Vaccarello is responsible for the safety of 189,000 kids in 196 schools. It's a big job: Each academic year, he tells the Washington Post, schools in his district receive some 100 threats about one every other day. "I protect 189,000 presidents now," says Vaccarello, a former Secret Service member. "We can't be complacent." However, he tells the Post, balancing student safety with minimizing disruptions is a difficult task. After all, most threats are not credible. Still, as threats made against schools increaseup 158% from 2013 to 2014, one expert tells the San Jose Mercury Newsmore and more school officials across the US are being forced to strike that balance. For instance, all public schools in Nashua, NH, were closed Dec. 21 based on what was described as a "detailed threat of violence." The schools opened the next day, the New York Times reports, after an investigation yielded no "current, credible threat." The week before school districts in Los Angeles and New York City (the nation's two largest districts) received similar emails threatening violence. In LA, officials canceled classes for 640,000 students. Their counterparts in NYC, however, determined the threat was a hoax and kept schools open, with New York's police chief telling the Times that officials in LA made a "significant overreaction." Such criticisms notwithstanding, "Youve got to put the safety of the students first. If someones harmed, thats irreversible," Washington College President Sheila Bair, who shut down her campus in November, tells the Times. (Read more threats stories.) (Newser) The University of North Texas is mourning a 20-year-old student killed in what police are describing as a road-rage incident on New Year's Eve. Police in Denton say Sara Mutschlechner was driving three friends home from a party at around 2am Friday when an SUV carrying five or six men pulled up alongside her and words were exchanged, the North Texas Daily reports. Police say shots were fired from the SUV and Mutschlechner crashed the car into a utility pole after being shot in the head, reports the New York Daily News. She died Friday evening after around 12 hours on life support. Family and friends describe Mutschlechnerthe designated driver for her friendsas friendly, fun-loving, and selfless, ABC reports. She "was a beautiful person inside and out and this world is less bright without her," her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, said in a Facebook post. No arrests have been made been made in the case, though police say at least two of the men in the SUV had been at a separate New Year's Eve party and they hope more witnesses will come forward, reports ABC. (A Michigan man who shot another driver during a road-rage incident won't be eligible for parole until he turns 96.) (Newser) An armed group has taken over a federal building in Oregon, and leaders say they're willing to use force to defend themselves if the feds move in. It's getting news coverage, of course, but a post at Vox makes the case that coverage is nowhere near as intense as it would be if this group were largely Muslim or black instead of mostly white. "Media outlets don't seem to consider this an alarming story, instead treating it by and large as a peaceful protest," writes German Lopez. He notes that after terrorists attacks, pundits often ask the Muslim community at large to denounce them, "but there are no comparable cries demanding that all white people apologize for the militiamen." It's a case of "implicit bias," writes Lopez, or "subconscious prejudices that can change how we approach and treat people of a different race, ethnicity, and religious affiliation." It's important that media outlets be aware of the problem, he adds, because the resulting coverage can skew how stories are perceived. Not that everyone's taking the threat all that seriously: A Daily Beast headline refers to "Wingnut Woodstock," while al Jazeera notes that the Internet seems to have settled on the name "Y'all Qaeda" to describe the group. Click to read Lopez's full post. (Read more media stories.) (Newser) Darius McCollum's addiction isn't booze and pillsit's buses and trains. The New York transit impostor who first commandeered a train at age 15 has been arrested 30 times over the years for transit-related crimes. Most recently, he was nabbed in November behind the wheel of a Greyhound bus that officials say he stole from a depot in New Jersey. Now McCollum, who is 50 and has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, is worried what will happen to him next. He says the obsession that's put him behind bars for half his adult life is out of his control. But instead of more jail time, he says, he needs help. "I can't seem to get myself out of this on my own," he said in an interview with the AP at Rikers Island jail. "But what am I supposed to do? There's no AA for buses or trains." McCollumwho grew up near the 179th Street subway station in Queens and would go there after schoolhas posed as a transit worker, collected fares, fixed broken tracks, operated New York City subway trains and regional rail lines, and driven commuter buses. If he were a drug user, there'd be substance abuse treatment. If he were violent, there'd be an anger-management class. Even if he had been accused of a sex crime, there would be therapy available for him. "We applied for everything, sought help everywhere, but there's just nothing," says his lawyer, Sally Butler. "This isn't how he should be treated. He shouldn't be behind bars." His latest arrest on charges of criminal impersonation and grand larceny could bring him 15 more years behind bars if convicted. (Read more New York City stories.) (Newser) As the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry puts it in a press release, "The 7th period of the periodic table of elements is complete." It has verified the discovery of elements 113, 115, 117, and 118, effectively filling the 7th row and "rendering science textbooks around the world instantly out of date," reports the Guardian. The elements currently have temporary working names and symbols. IUPAC's Dec. 30 announcement will ultimately lead to permanent ones, which the discoverers can now propose; the release specifies that "new elements can be named after a mythological concept, a mineral, a place or country, a property or a scientist." One candidate for the highly radioactive element 113: japonium, per the Japanese government-affiliated Riken Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science, which was given credit for the element. The Guardian notes the element will be the first to have a name bestowed on it from Asia. The AP reports that the Japanese scientists behind the synthetic element started working to create it in 2003 "by bombarding a thin layer of bismuth with zinc ions traveling at about 10% the speed of light." They were in competition with a team of Russian and American scientists who were also gunning for the naming rights after announcing that same element's discovery in 2004. But the honor went to Japan, and the team leader says he intends to spend part of 2016 coming up with it. A bit of science-wow from the AP: "Isotopes of element 113 have a very short half-life, lasting for less than a thousandth of a second, making its discovery very difficult. After twice succeeding to create it, the group tried for seven years before further success, in August 2012." (A sophomoric prank also lurks on the periodic table.) (Newser) British GQ has named Britain's 50 best dressed men, and the royal who ranks highest on the list this year is Prince Philip. (A choice that prompted Vanity Fair to declare, "The Man Named Best Dressed in the Royal Family Is Probably Not Who Youd Expect." Perhaps not surprising, though, considering last year then-1-year-old Prince George was the top royal.) The Duke of Edinburgh comes in at No. 12, and the magazine declares that Queen Elizabeth's consort "comes across effortlessly in the way he dresses." Princes Charles and William didn't even make the list, and Prince Harry came in at No. 38. The top 10: Eddie Redmayne, actor Nick Grimshaw, radio DJ Sam Smith, singer David Beckham, soccer star Patrick Grant, fashion designer Harry Styles, member of One Direction Skepta, rapper Romeo Beckham, soccer star's son Benedict Cumberbatch, actor David Gandy, model Click for the full top 50 . (Read more Prince Philip stories.) (Newser) Pia Wurtzbach gave her first sit-down as Miss Universe to Good Morning America on Monday, and she graciously pooh-poohed the idea that's been making the rounds that she should perhaps share the crown with runner-up, Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez, who was briefly and incorrectly crowned Miss Universe. "I think it would be a little bit difficult for two girls to share a crown, but I have high hopes that this will give great opportunities for me and Miss Colombia and the rest of the contestants," Wurtzbach, of the Philippines, said. Per GMA, Gutierrez disagrees, recently telling a Colombian radio station she thinks the crown should be shared and adding that the incident was "very humiliating" and "a great injustice." As for Wurtzbach, she was also gracious on the subject of pageant host Steve Harvey, who was responsible for the mix-up. "Maybe the way it was written, it was a little confusing," she said. "I understand. It was his first time to judge a pageant, but it's OK. He's human. People make mistakes." Should he return as host? "Yeah, why not?" she said. "I think hes a breath of fresh air, he made us feel very relaxed, the contestants. It makes us show our personalities a little bit more. I think that benefits everybody, especially the viewers." (Miss Colombia was a bit less angry-sounding in her first response to the incident.) (Newser) Two ranchers whose legal woes spurred an armed takeover of a government building in Oregon are reporting to prison today to serve their sentencesbut will ask President Obama for clemency, the Oregonian reports. Dwight Hammond Jr., 73, is facing up to five years and son Steven, 46, around four years for their 2012 arson convictions. "Dwight and Steven Hammond respect the rule of law," their attorneys said in a statement before the Hammonds arrived at a California prison. "They have litigated this matter within the federal courts for over five years and ... followed the order of the court." The Hammonds have already served "the entire sentences imposed in this case by the judge who heard the evidence at trial," the statement adds. The statement also saysand NPR concurs, quoting court documentsthat the judge at sentencing called elderly Dwight's five-year sentence a "shock [to] the conscience." Yet the Hammonds have publicly denied wanting the help of armed ranchers led by Ammon Bundy, who took over a building at a national wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon this weekend, KOIN6 reports. The father-and-son ranchers set fire to their property in 2001 and 2006 to guard against invasive plants and wildfires, but the fires spread onto Bureau of Land Management property in both cases, according to court documents. (The militia-style ranchers vow to stay "for as long as it takes.") (Newser) Donald Trump's inaugural 2016 TV ad promises Trump will "stop illegal immigration by building a wall on our southern border that Mexico will pay for," as the screen shows people streaming over a border. But, though you may have assumed the footage is Mexicans crossing into the US, it actually shows Moroccans crossing into Melilla, an enclave held by Spain, the Hill reports; Politifact sourced the footage to the Italian television network RepubblicaTV. If you thought Trump's campaign might be embarrassed by the apparent snafu, though, you thought wrong: "No shit, it's not the Mexican border but that's what our country is going to look like if we don't do anything," says Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, according to NBC reporter Katy Tur. "This was 1,000% on purpose." Trump himself addressed the issue Monday night on the O'Reilly Factor, dubbing the whole thing "irrelevant." He continued, "You can just take it any way you want, but it's really merely a display of what a dumping ground is going to look like. And that's what our country's becoming very rapidly." NBC News tacks on this emailed statement from Lewandowski: The selected footage shows "the severe impact of an open border and the very real threat Americans face if we do not immediately build a wall and stop illegal immigration. The biased mainstream media doesn't understand, but Americans who want to protect their jobs and their families do." (Read more Donald Trump stories.) The Lake Superior State University in Northern Michigan has released this year's "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness," a tradition that was started in 1976. The annual list, which is the university' 41st so far, includes 13 words that they believe should never be used again. These words are, "so" when used in response to a question, "presser" (shortened for press conference, "problematic," "walk it back," "break the Internet," "stakeholder," "join the conversation," "physicality," "price point," "manspreading," "giving me life," "vape," and "secret sauce." The list is compiled based on words that were nominated by people. For example, for the word "so," Bob Forrest of Tempe, Arizona argued, "Currently, it is being overused as the first word in the answer to ANY question. For instance, 'How did you learn to play the piano?' Answer: 'So my dad was in a classical music club.'" The overseer of the list, Tom Pink, who is also the University's spokesman, stated that he was surprised to see that political terms were not nominated as often. He had expected to see more due to the fact that campaigns for the 2016 presidential election have been underway for some time now. Pink added that they do not have an explanation as to why certain words receive so many nominations. To read some people's argument for why the words should be banned, click here. Justin Bieber makes out and was involved in a very passionate kiss and posted the photo on Instagram on Sunday night giving rise to questions if his hookup with Kourtney Kardashian is over. In the Instagram post as mentioned in a report in People, the Canadian crooner is seen making out with Hailey Baldwin, dressed in a breezy white crop top and high waist shorts. Biebs, meanwhile, was showing his tats, while grabbing Hailey's body. The publication said that the photo was taken after Bieb's performance in Leonardo DiCapio's St. Barth's New Year's Eve Party where he joined other Hollywood pals like Robin Thicke and DiCaprio's pals Kevin Connolly and Lukas Haas. Other photos of their steamy PDA moments came up in the Bieb's social media account afterwards. A source from ET via Yahoo News said that the two are spending a lot of time together during the holidays in the Caribbean. At dinner the other night, Hailey was gently caressing his shoulder while he fed her bread. They're very sensual," the source said. It also looks like Biebs does not have any regrets or hesitations posting the sexy PDAs as another source said that they are staging the kiss for a lot of people to see. "Justin and Hailey were making out for everyone to see at a New Year's Eve party thrown by Richie Akiva. They were sucking face for everyone to see at the bar," a source from TMZ via Daily Mail said. The rumored lovers have been childhood friends and were seen sharing loved-up moments before. In an earlier interview, the 19-year old denied having a relationship with the 22-year old Canadian crooner. We're just friends. I've known him for a long time, since I was about 13. He's just going through a time in his life where he's transitioning in a really positive way and he needs good people around him. And I'm trying to be a good friend and be there for him and support him," Kevin Baldwin's daughter said on February last year. Meanwhile, a source from Hollywood Life said that Kourtney Kardashian is ready to move on from her short-term romance with Justin Bieber after Bieb's recent controversial smooch. "Kourtney is not surprised that Justin kissed another girl on New Year's Eve. It still doesn't make her very happy and she's seriously considering whether she's going to continue seeing him or not. She thought it wouldn't bother her, but deep down it does. It's just a wake-up call that her romance with Justin would never evolve into anything serious," the source said. The FBI is now in charge of diffusing the armed standoff held by a group of activists at a federal building in Oregon. FBI agents will be working with local and state officials, which include the Harney Country Sheriff's Office and the Oregon State Police, to find "a peaceful resolution." The FBI did not provide any more details. "Due to safety considerations for both those inside the refuge as well as the law enforcement officers involved, we will not be releasing any specifics with regards to the law enforcement response," the FBI said in a statement reported by the Washington Post. The takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge building happened Saturday after an anti-government protest and rally took place. The protest was held in support of two local ranchers who were found guilty of arson. The father-and-son duo, Dwight and Steven Hammond, had started to fire for the purpose of protecting their land from wildfires in 2001. The fire, however, got out hand. Contrary to the Hammonds' claims, the acting U.S. attorney, Billy J. Williams, stated that they had set the fire to cover up evidence of poaching. The Hammonds stated that they would be turning themselves over to serve their five-year sentences. In regards to the protest and takeover, they have kept their distance. "These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers," Harney County Sheriff David M. Ward said in a statement Sunday according to the Post. "When in reality these men had alternative motives, to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States." The leader of the standoff, Ammon Bundy, 40, stated that they would not be leaving the premises until they get what they want. "We will be here as long as it takes," Bundy told CNN via the phone. "We have no intentions of using force upon anyone, (but) if force is used against us, we would defend ourselves." Bundy, who is the son of Cliven Bundy, a rancher from Nevada who held a standoff with the government in 2014, added, "This is about taking the correct stand without harming anybody to restore the land and resources to the people so people across the country can begin thriving again." Bundy and the unknown number of protesters who are with him have not clearly stated in detail what they want from the federal government. During the rally, the protesters accused government officials of convicting the Hammonds as punishment after they refused to sell their land. Bundy did say, when asked what it would take to end the standoff, "The people will need to be able to use the land and resources without fear as free men and women. We know it will take some time. I would tell any federal agent that the people are enforcing their rights and expressing their rights to restore their land and resources back to the people." Since news of the takeover surfaced, many people on Twitter and other social media platforms have called out the government, the media and the public, who they believe have a double standard. They argue that since the armed men are white, they are being called protesters and activists as opposed to terrorists. "We are not terrorists," Bundy said. "We are concerned citizens and realize we have to act if we want to pass along anything to our children." Bundy is calling for people who support the movement to come and join him. There were no employees inside of the building when the takeover happened. Sweden and Denmark have tightened their boarder control checks in an attempt to slow down the arrival of refugees, who are seeking asylum in the respective nations. In Sweden, travelers coming from Denmark and Germany will now have to show their driver's license or passport before they are allowed to enter. If travelers do not have any forms of ID with a picture on it, they will be turned away. Prior to the updated regulations, travelers were able to enter Sweden via train, car and ferry from the Danish border without having their IDs checked. The new policy, which is temporary but valid for up to three years, has already caused a lot of delays on Monday since a lot of Swedes commute to Denmark for work. According to the Swedish government, the number of refugees who are coming into the country is becoming "a serious threat to public order and domestic security." The government said that in 2015, it received more than 160,000 applications for asylum and added that during peak flow, about 10,000 refugees were coming in every day. In response to Sweden's tighter border control regulations, Denmark has decided to make it harder for people to enter the country from Germany. The Danish Prime Minister, Lars Lkke Rasmussen, announced on Monday that it would be randomly checking IDs at the German border over the next 10 days, with the possibility of extending the ID checks for another 20 days. "It is clear to all of us in Europe that we need an overall European solution," Rasmussen said reported by the New York Times. "The solution won't be found at national borders between country A and country B." Denmark previously cut benefits in half for new arrivals. It also put in place very tough language requirements for those who plan on applying for permanent residency. Out of all the countries in the European Union, Sweden and Germany have taken in the majority of the refugees. Both countries have asked for a wider distribution due to the fact that the amount of refugees coming to live there is taking a toll. Sweden and Denmark are the latest countries to tighten up their border. Other European nations that have enforced similar ID checks include France, Germany and Austria. New Delhi: The body of CPI leader A B Bardhan was today cremated in presence of a number of prominent leaders from Left parties. Bardhan passed away at the age of 92 on Saturday at the GB Pant Hospital here after prolonged illness. The last rites were performed at Nigambodh Ghat electric crematorium and attended by CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPIs D Raja, Annie Raja, Gurudas Dasgupta and Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, CPI general secretary. Earlier Vice President Hamid Ansari, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Yechury and Congress leader Raj Babbar were those who visited Ajoy Bhavan, the CPI headquarters, to pay tribute to Bardhan. Bardhans body was brought to the party office from the hospital this morning. Liu Jin Song, deputy chief of Chinese Embassy here, also paid tributes to the departed CPI leader. It is a very big loss, not only to the Communist movement in India but also to the national politics. It will leave behind a void and that void is difficult to fill again, said Yechury. CPIs National Secretary D Raja said he shared a special bond with Bardhan and it was a difficult moment for him. My relationship with Bardhan was entirely different. I worked with him for three decades. It is really difficult to sum up our bond at this moment, he said. Bardhan had steered CPI during the turbulent period of coalition politics at national level. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Guwahati: National Disaster Response Force teams have been rushed to earthquake hit areas of North-East early today, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said here as he took stock of the situation. The Home Ministry is actively monitoring the situation after the earthquake in the Northeastern region. NDRF teams, including from Guwahati, have rushed to the affected areas, he said. Singh was in Guwahati last night as part of his two-day trip to Assam and experienced the quake. The Home Minister briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone about the situation and the steps taken for rescue and relief. The Prime Minister said in a tweet that he has asked Singh to oversee the situation arising out of the quake. Singh also spoke to Chief Ministers of the region and took stock of the situation in each state. A Home Ministry spokesperson said that the National Crisis Management Committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, is holding a meeting to review the situation. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Northeastern region early today with its epicenter at Tamenlong in Manipur. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Are you also one of those who laugh out loud on jokes based on Sikhs and Sardars? If yes, then its time to question yourself their aptness and what impact they leave on a community of over 1 crore people. While the Sikh communities have shown maturity to not to be offended by such jokes but there are some who take them otherwise. Supreme court agreed to examine a PIL which seeks to ban jokes on Sikhs and Sardars after the petitioner, Sikh lawyer Harvinder Chowdhury, claimed that such jokes are a violation of a Sikhs right to equality, and an attack on the dignity of the community. The petition demands the Ministries of Telecom and Information and Broadcasting should either ban the websites, or direct them to remove such jokes since they tend to portray the Sardar community as people of low intellect. So, if the court decides in favour of the petition, there may no jokes based on Sikh community. The bench said that matter will be heard along with the petition of the DSGMC. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Riyadh: Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has announced that Saudi Arabia was severing diplomatic ties with Iran after demonstrators stormed its Tehran embassy to protest against Riyadhs execution of a Shiite cleric. Jubeir also said that all Iranian diplomats must leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours. Saudi Arabia is breaking off diplomatic ties with Iran and requests that all members of the Iranian diplomatic mission leave... within 48 hours, he told a news conference yesterday. On Saturday, a mob attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran and a consulate in second city Mashhad amid protests at the execution in Saudi Arabia of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. The 56-year-old, a force behind 2011 anti-government protests in eastern Saudi Arabia, was among 47 convicted men put to death on Saturday in the kingdom. The others were Shiite activists and Sunnis who the Saudi interior ministry said were involved in Al-Qaeda attacks, with some beheaded and others shot by firing squad. Iran arrested 44 people over the embassy assault, which President Hassan Rouhani described as totally unjustifiable. But the Islamic republics supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned Nimrs execution, saying God will not forgive Saudi Arabia for putting him to death. Jubeir responded yesterday by saying: Irans history is full of negative interference and hostility in Arab issues, and it is always accompanied by destruction. Relations between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shiite-ruled Iran have been strained for decades, with Riyadh frequently accusing Tehran of interfering in Arab affairs. Both countries are also divided over a raft of issues, namely the nearly five-year war in Syria, where Iran is allied with the regime of embattled President Bashar al-Assad, and Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed rebels. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Turkish Airlines flight en-route to Istanbul from Mumbai has been called back for security reasons. By the latest inputs, an unattended cell phone was found on the flight after which it was called back at Mumbai Airport. The plane has been evacuated and the search operation is underway. The news comes a day after a bomb hoax in elite Lucknow Shatabdi Express created chaos to security agencies on Sunday. The information of both Shatabdi-Express incident and Turkish airlines comes at a time when a massive battle between security agencies and terrorist is underway for now more than 48 hours. The Boeing 777-300ER plane was scheduled to take off for Istanbul at 0625 hours. Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul was called back from the runway at Mumbai airport after a suspicious object was found in the aircraft, a Mumbai Airport spokesperson said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Syria: The ISIS militants in Syria reportedly threw off a teenage boy off a building because he was accused of being a gay. However, the Islamist who raped him was just demoted and was spared a death sentence. The 15-year-old boy died after being thrown off a building in Deir ezzor province in Syria. The Islamist who raped the boy is believed to be Abu Zaid al-Jazrawi, who had appeared in a video showing the execution of prisoners by child soldiers. As a punishment, Abu Zaid al-Jazrawi has been sent to fight on the frontline in Iraq. According to an eye witness, the execution of the boy took place in full public view. The boy was accused of being engaged in a homosexual relation with the prominent ISIS officer Abu Zaid al-Jazrawi, media activist Sarai al-Din told ARA News. Abu Zaid was forced to leave Syria and join the fighting fronts in northwestern Iraq. The decision has been taken by the ISIS leadership, al-Din said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: National Security Advisor Ajit Dovals visit to China from tomorrow for talks with top Chinese leaders has been put off in the wake of the attack by Pakistani militants on the key Air Force base in Pathankot. The visit has been put off due to scheduling problems, Chinese Foreign Ministry official told PTI here today. Indian officials said Dovals visit will be rescheduled as he is preoccupied with the handling of the Pathankot incident. Doval, who is also the Special Representative for Sino-India boundary talks, was due to arrive here tomorrow on a two-day visit during which he was scheduled to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on key bilateral issues, including the border dispute. He was also due to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. Both Doval and Yang are Special Representatives for holding talks on the boundary issue. So far, the two countries held 18 rounds of border talks. Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha had said Doval was due to have strategic consultations with the Chinese leaders. The visit is not for the Special Representative-level talks, Kantha said. Referring to Dovals visit, Wang Dehua, director of the Institute for Southern and Central Asian Studies told state-run Global Times that frequent talks between the two countries will accelerate solving a dispute on the long border, including its western section with Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and eastern part with Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region. Dovals visit to China follows frequent interactions between the two countries top leaders in 2015. China and India have strengthened cooperation on security issues, including solving the border dispute through talks, Fu Xiaoqiang, an expert on South Asian studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said. Fu said the two countries have already agreed to solve the border dispute based on mutual understanding and accommodation but its implementation faces many difficulties, including marking the Line of Actual Control in the China-India border areas. Wang said China and India have agreed to hold quarterly talks instead of annual talks and to enhance discussions on security issues at different levels. A border dispute settlement could reduce conflicts between the two countries, strengthen mutual trust and maintain regional peace, Wang said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Bengaluru: The body of Lieutenant Colonel E K Niranjan, a bomb expert with the National Security Guard who was killed while defusing a grenade at the scene of the terror attack at Pathankot IAF base, was brought to Bengaluru on Monday. The last rites will be performed at his hometown in Palakkad in Kerala. The body arrived at Bengaluru International Airport early this morning between 12.40 am and 1 am. We brought the body wrapped in the Indian Tricolor to our house, E K Sivarajan, the martyrs father, told reporters here. He was always interested in the army. I am proud of his sacrifice, Sivarajan said. Niranjans sister said, I look at him as Arjuna (3rd of the Pandava brothers) who fought for his karmabhoomi. Fellow Army officers in uniform and many prominent and eminent personalities including Rajeev Chandrashekhar, MP, paid tributes to the martyr at his residence. Thirty two-year-old Niranjan, who has his family in Bangalore, was commissioned in the Engineers Regiment of the Army in 2004. He hailed from Palakkad in Kerala and is survived by his wife Dr Radhika and a 18-month-old daughter. Niranjan, head of the elite bomb squad of the NSG, was killed while defusing an IED at Pathankot IAF base, yesterday. He was among seven security personnel killed in the terrorist attack there. The martrys father Sucha Singh, who is a farmer, had earlier stated that he was proud that his son had laid down his life for the country. Sucha Singh said that he received information about Gursewaks martyrdom from his elder son, who is an officer in the Army. My boy had gone to serve the nation. I am proud of him. He has done his duty. We are sad too. Our elder son is also in the Army serving the nation. My younger son gave his life for the country. He was always good in studies and always wanted to join the Air Force, Sucha said. Gursewaks cousin Harikrishan Singh said, He did his engineering in Bengaluru... We have lost one warrior. Gursewak, who was described as an intelligent and bright youth, by his father, had cleared the Air Force examination in the first attempt. Haryanas Health Minister Vij said the whole nation will remember the sacrifice of son-of-the-soil. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : The United Jihad Council on Monday claimed responsibility of Pathankot attack. The statement was made to a Srinagar based news gathering agency. According to reports, a spokesperson of United Jihad Council Syed Sadaqat Hussain claimed that Pathankot Air Base attack was carried out by the Kashmiri militants associated with Highway Squad. The report read: By accusing Pakistan for every attack, India neither succeeded in past to malign the Kashmir Freedom Struggle nor will it get anything in future through malicious propaganda," the spokesperson said. The attack on Pathankot Air Base from Kashmiri Mujhadeen carries a message to India that no security establishment and garrison are out of reach from militants. Instead of accusing Pakistan, India should read the writing on the wall and without wasting any time should provide an opportunity to the people of Kashmir to decided their future, the statement read. Top government sources on Monday informed that both the holed up terrorists have been killed taking the figure to 6 militants involved in Pathankot terror attack. One of the terrorists holed up in the Pathankot air base and was engaging the security forces is believed to have been killed. Another one's body has been found in very bad condition. Sources said the neutralised terrorist was one of the two who were hiding in a two-storey building, a living accommodation for the personnel. Still there is no clarity on the exact number of terrorists involved in the attack and whether the terrorist eliminated today was the fifth or the sixth terrorist to be neutralised since Saturday when the terror attack began. Meanwhile, Punjab Police also arrested 3 suspected from Punjab. They were arrested for holding Pakistani SIM cards and who were For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dubai: Bahrain today said it is cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, following the suit of its ally Saudi Arabia as tensions escalate over the execution of a Shiite cleric. Manama ordered Tehrans diplomats in the tiny Gulf state to leave the kingdom within 48 hours, BNA state news agency said on Twitter. A Bahraini statement said the decision was triggered by cowardly attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran and increasing flagrant and dangerous meddling by Tehran in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states. Manama said the attacks on the Saudi missions represent a very dangerous pattern of sectarian policies that should be confronted... in order to preserve security and stability in the entire region. The Bahraini foreign ministry summoned Irans charge daffaires Murtada Sanawbari and handed him an official note in this regard, said the statement carried by BNA. Saudi Arabia said Sunday it was severing its ties with Iran after angry crowds set fire to its embassy in Tehran and attacked its consulate in Mashhad a day after Riyadh executed Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lucknow: Samajwadi Party today claimed to have bagged 36 district Panchyat Chairman posts unopposed, including one in Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhis constituency Amethi. Of 74 districts, where elections for the post of district Panchayat Chairman are going on, the party has won unopposed in 36 districts, including Amethi. Its a big success of the party, SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury said. Today was the last date of withdrawal of nominations. Elections are scheduled on January 7 following which the State Election Commission will declare the formal results. SP candidates won unopposed in Amethi, Lalitpur and Sant Kabir Nagar after withdrawals. In an embarrasment to the Congress, the partys Amethi nominee for the post of Chairman of district Panchayat, Krishna Chaurasiya, withdrew her nomination paving way for the unopposed election of SP candidate. Shiv Kali Maurya is the lone nominee left for the post of Zila Panchayat Chairman in Amethi after the withdrawal of nomination of Congress candidate Krishna Chaurasiya, District Magistrate, Amethi, Jagatraj Tewari said. There was a direct contest between Congress and Samajwadi Party for the post in Gandhis constituency. Local unit president of the Congress, Yogendra Misra said that the party has nothing to do with the withdrawal of Chaurasiyas candidature and it was her personal decision. Had she contested, the party would have extended full support, Misra said. She has not taken partys advice on withdrawing her candidature and it is her personal decision, said Rahul Gandhis representative Chandrakant Dubey who was present during the filing of nomination by Chaurasiya. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Colombo: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today arrived in Sri Lanka on a three-day visit during which several agreements to boost bilateral ties, including in the areas of health and curb terrorism financing, will be signed. Sharif was received at the airport here by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Pakistan prime minister will hold talks with President Maithripala Sirisena and other officials tomorrow. This is Sharifs first visit to Sri Lanka since he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in 2013. Several bilateral agreements, including in the areas of health, science and technology, trade, and curb terrorism financing are to be signed during the visit. Business MoUs including deep sea fishing, cement, power, education and food will also be signed. During his stay in Sri Lanka, Sharif will visit the historic city of Kandy. He will visit Sri Dalada Maligawa Sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic, International Buddhist Museum and Jinnah Hall in Kandy. Sharif will also deliver a lecture on diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Islamabad and Colombo grew closer during Lankas civil war by supplying arms to fight the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who sought an independent state for ethnic minority Tamils. President Sirisena visited Pakistan from April 5-7 in 2015. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: An FIR has been registered against the CEO and founder of an e-commerce major for allegedly selling popular Maggi noodles online during the ban period, in five Indian states. A case was registered yesterday against CEO of Snapdeal Kunal Bahl and its founder Rohit Bansal for online sale of Nestles instant noodles in five states including Rajasthan during the period of ban between June 7 and October 30 last year, police said today. A complaint was yesterday lodged by Lalit Sharma, a Jaipur-based lawyer following which police registered an FIR under sections 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) of the IPC and sections 59 and 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. When contacted, the company spokesperson said they have not received any information on the same. Last June, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had placed a ban on sale of Maggi after they found high levels of lead in it. The Bombay High Court, however, had revoked the ban on Maggi on October 19 paving the way for it to be back on shelves. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Deadly extreme weather on at least five continents is driven in large part by a record-breaking El Nino, but climate change is a likely booster too, experts said. The 2015-16 El Nino, they added, is the strongest ever measured. In fact, El Nino phenomenon has brought warmest December in Delhi in four years in 2015. It was also the driest with not even one chill inducing rainy day. December saw the least number of dense fog days in at least five years, leading to fewer flight and train disruptions. It is probably the most powerful in the last 100 years, said Jerome Lecou, a climate expert at the French weather service Meteo France, noting that accurate measurements have only existed since the mid-20th century. Flooding and mudslides unleashed by torrential rains have killed at least 10 people and driven more than 150,000 from their homes in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay in recent days. In central and southwestern United Stateswhere temperatures in Texas are forecast to drop from a balmy 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) Saturday to zero (32 F) on Mondayclashing weather fronts have given rise to snow-packed blizzards, freezing rain and a spate of tornadoes that have claimed at least 43 lives. Across the Pacific, meanwhile, wildfires in Australia fanned by high temperatures and super-dry conditions have engulfed more than 100 homes outside Melbourne, with hundreds more threatened. Across south and southeast Asia, monsoon rains essential for life-sustaining crops have been limited, while drought in eastern Africa means millions will require food aid, especially in Ethiopia, according to Oxfam. The role of El Nino on much of what we are seeing around the planet is obvious, said Herve Le Treut, a climate scientist and director of the Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, which is a federation of French research centres. El Ninos, which emerge every four to seven years on average and run from October through January, are triggered by a shift in trade winds across the Pacific around the equator. Warmer surface water that normally accumulates in the western Pacific moves to the east, leading to heavier rainfall along the west coast of the Americas and drier-than-usual conditions in Australasia and southeast Asia. This years El Nino is the most powerful ever measured, surpassing the one in 1997-98, both in terms of ocean surface temperatureup by more than 3C (5.4F) -- and the surface area affected, said Lecou. As was true in 1998, this years super El Nino will have contributed to making 2015 the warmest on record, worldwide. But the reverse may also be true, with climate change boosting the power of cyclical El Nino events. New Delhi : Around 25 persons were detained today after they gathered outside the embassy of Saudi Arabia in south Delhis Vasant Vihar locality to protest against the recent execution of a Shia cleric in the kingdom, police said. Scores of protesters gathered outside the embassy gate today afternoon, following which the police had to resort to water cannons to bring the situation under control, said a police official. Nobody sustained any major injuries and all the detained persons were released by the evening, the official added. Saudi Arabias civil aviation authority said today it was cutting all air links with Iran after Riyadh severed diplomatic ties with Tehran amid a mounting diplomatic row. The authority said that following the kingdoms decision to cut diplomatic relations, it had informed all airlines operating in Saudi Arabia it was suspending and preventing all their flights to and from Iran, according to a statement carried by state news agency SPA. Germanys Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel warned Saudi Arabia today Berlin could review military exports to the oil-rich nation in light of Riyadhs mass executions of prisoners two days earlier. Berlin also urged Saudi Arabia and Iran to restore diplomatic relations after 47 people were executed, including a Shiite cleric, which sparked attacks on the Saudi embassy in mainly Shiite Iran followed by a severing of official ties between the regional powers. Gabriel, who is also Germanys economy minister, said: We must now review whether in future we should take a more critical stance on defensive armaments which we have so far sold to Saudi Arabia for its national defence. It turns out we were right not to deliver battle tanks or G36 assault rifles to Saudi Arabia, he added, national news agency DPA reported. Germany has refrained from selling the Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle and other offensive military weapons to Saudi Arabia but has shipped millions of euros worth of so-called defensive military gear. Exports last year included patrol boats, all-terrain vehicles, aerial refuelling equipment, drones and parts for combat aircraft and armoured vehicles, said national news agency DPA. A spokesman for the economy ministry earlier said it was following developments in Saudi Arabia, and that they would come into play when it decides on approval for future defence exports to the country. Chancellor Angela Merkels spokesman Steffen Seibert called on both Saudi Arabia and Iran to use all means at their disposal to improve their diplomatic relations. He said Saudi-Iranian ties are of fundamental importance for resolving the crises in Syria and Yemen and for the stability of the entire region. Germanys opposition Greens and Left parties demanded the government halt all military exports to Saudi Arabia, which reached USD 226 million in 2014, the last full year for which data is available. Seibert, asked whether Germany planned to sanction Saudi Arabia, stressed that it is in the interest of Germany to have dialogue with Saudi Arabia ... We are committed to a constructive relationship with Riyadh. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius meanwhile called for a de-escalation of tensions between Riyadh and Tehran, government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said. France has an important role in this region as an interlocutor with all the parties, Le Foll said following a cabinet meeting, noting that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani plans to visit Paris in the coming weeks. Relations between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shiite-dominated Iran have been strained for decades. The oil-rich foes have also been divided over the nearly five-year war in Syria, where Iran is backing the regime, and the conflict in Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Shiite rebels. Demonstrators took to the streets of Tehran for a third consecutive day of protests today after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shiite cleric and broke off ties with Iran. Some 3,000 demonstrators gathered in Imam Hossein Square in eastern Tehran, chanting slogans against Saudi Arabias Al-Saud royal family following the kingdoms execution on Saturday of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. His death has sparked fury among Shiites across the Middle East with protests erupting in several countries. A mob on Saturday firebombed the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital and a consulate in second city Meshhad, triggering regional and international condemnation. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. NEWTOWN A two-year search for an accessible yet out-of-the-way spot for the Sandy Hook memorial has ended at a scenic and secluded hilltop meadow overlooking the Fairfield Hills municipal campus. The selection of the hilltop meadow as the site to memorialize the 26 children and educators slain in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings is problematic, because the land is so environmentally sensitive. But the decision resolves the location question that needed to be settled before the town could start thinking about what design the memorial should take. A 12-member group in charge of the memorial will now undertake a similarly deliberate process of setting the design parameters and seeking proposals. We are going to put a specific timeline in place with dates that we would like to see the proposals by, said Kyle Lyddy, chairman of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission. So we expect to see something in 2016, but we have always said that there is no timetable, so if we need to change plans, we will. The group, which includes family members of victims killed at the school, has already met with the towns Conservation Commission, Police Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission about a preliminary proposal that would use less than an acre of the hilltop for the actual memorial, and a path leading to several parking spaces. The plan received verbal approval from the three-member Board of Selectmen late last month. I want to encourage you to proceed and dont rush your work, First Selectman Pat Llodra told Lyddy during a Dec. 21 public meeting. Creating a memorial that honors the victims and comforts those touched by the shootings is among the important townwide initiatives Newtown is undertaking as it recovers from one of the worst crimes in Connecticut history. A separate commission is building consensus for a community center that will be funded with a $15 million gift from GE. That process had to be stopped and restarted last year when it was clear more outreach was needed to come up with a design everyone could endorse. Newtown is looking to hire as many as four trauma-care specialists to replace a team that will be disbanded in March when its federal funding runs out. The memorial commission began its mission by gathering input from the families of the 26 victims. The commission next spoke with school staff, parents and first responders. Members spoke with planners involved in memorials for the 1999 high school shootings in Columbine, Colo., and the 9/11 World Trade Center attack. As part of the outreach, 95 percent of Sandy Hook parents said they thought there should be a memorial honoring the shooting victims. Because the hilltop meadow and surrounding acres have been designated as open space, members of the memorial commission will have to work with the towns Conservation Commission to reduce the environmental impact. Because the memorial could draw out-of-town attention and potential vandalism by conspiracy theorists, the Police Commission has suggested 24/7 surveillance cameras to provide extra security. The project has a budget of $165,000 from grants and donations the town received after the shootings. rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342 lig [All images by Weingarten Realty via Atlanta Business Chronicle.] In the last days of 2015, permits were issued for the redevelopment of the Atlanta Civic Center, paving the way for the site's old buildings to be relegated to history. While dirt won't move until sometime later this year, the procurement of permits, as reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, marks a major milestone in the transformation of the underutilized, city-owned facility into a major mixed-use center. The project, announced earlier this year, will bring residences, retail, office space and a grocery store to Piedmont Avenue in the western reaches of Old Fourth Ward, adjacent to north downtown. The project is being developed by Weingarten, a Texas-based firm who specializes in suburban shopping centers. The first scheme released was a cause of some concern, with a decidedly suburban vibe complete with surface parking lots. A second crack at it resulted in some parking deposited into decks and incrementally more density. Still, the proposal seems more an enclave unto itself than something integrated into the urban fabric of the area. Despite the uncertainty of the final outcome, the overall news is heartening in a part of town that, while close to development, has missed out on investment to this point. It marks the departure of the City of Atlanta from a significant piece of property, bringing in money from the sale, adding land to the tax rosters and reducing carrying costs. Permits issued will allow for demolition and site work to commence. With any luck, the design will be tweaked to better contribute to the development of a walkable neighborhood in the area and not just a self-contained site. Weingarten files plans for Civic Center redevelopment [Atlanta Business Chronicle; subscriber] The Civic Center's Replacement could Look Like This [Curbed Atlanta] Civic Center Development Could be a $300M Whopper [Curbed Atlanta] The National Assembly on Sunday said its members were eager to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the Presidents claim that the... The National Assembly on Sunday said its members were eager to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the Presidents claim that the National Assembly planned to spend over N47bn to buy exotic cars this year.The House of Representatives, on its part, stated that a meeting with Buhari would put the records straight on how the President got his figure, since the legislature had not contemplated making such a mind-boggling expenditure.Buhari had, during his maiden Presidential Media Chat on Wednesday last week, wondered that the National Assembly planned to buy cars worth over N47bn, in addition to taking car loans and generous transport allowances.I cant see the National Assembly spending more than N47bn to buy cars on top of transport allowance they collect.I have to revisit that story. The budget for their transport allowance comes up to N100bn. With the kind of money that goes into the National Assembly, we have to look at it conscientiously and see how we can live within our means, he had said.Buhari announced that he would hold a closed-door meeting with the legislators to discuss the issue.However, both the Senate and the House of Representatives in their separate reactions less than 24 hours after the media chat, denied that there was a plan to buy cars worth the amount the President quoted.Speaking with newsmen, House Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, said the members were prepared to meet with the President, where the lawmakers planned to ask him how he arrived at the figure.Ogor stated that since making the announcement last week, there had been no communication from the Presidency on when the meeting would take place.But he revealed that members were willing to meet with the President to address the misinformation for the purpose of avoiding needless crises.He added, There is no meeting fixed that I am aware of for now.But, as a House, we welcome discussions with Mr. President to avoid unnecessary frictions.The minority leader also pointed out that the President made several assumptions about his powers, especially in relation to the power of appropriation.According to him, Buhari, during the chat, seemed to assume that all the proposals of the executive in the 2016 budget of N6.08tn were sacrosanct and did not require any scrutiny by the National Assembly.We advise that, in keeping with the principle of separation of powers, he should read sections 4,5,6 and 80 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) jointly for clearer understanding of which arm of government has the power of appropriation.All that is contained in the entire budget remains a mere proposal until approved by the National Assembly the way it deems fit, he added.Ogor added that the National Assembly too would need to be convinced why the Presidency proposed to buy cars worth about N3.5bn this year.He argued that while nobody raised eyebrows over the Presidencys budget on cars, a non-existing figure of N47bn was quoted for the National Assembly as its planned expenditure on exotic cars this year.The lawmaker stated, The Presidency proposed to buy cars for almost N3.5bn, there is electrical wiring of almost N300m.There are so many proposals in the Presidencys budget that we think should be subjected to thorough discussions. Some of the proposals in the Presidencys budget may not even stand.Where we are not convinced, we will remove and take some sub-heads to areas we think they are needed.He claimed that Buhari took the wrong step my starting a media war with the National Assembly in his first media chat.The lawmaker observed that the option of opening discussions with the National Assembly on issues he might not have been adequately briefed on should have preceded the media war.Also, the Senate spokesperson, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, said the red chamber was prepared to meet with Buhari on the proposed plan by the National Assembly to purchase official vehicles for the 469 federal lawmakers.Abdullahi told one of our correspondents on the telephone that media reports on the issue, which quoted various sums of money being the cost of procuring the vehicles, actually misled members of the public on the issue.He explained that the exact amount that the vehicles would cost could not be determined by the National Assembly at the moment because the contract for their procurement had not been awarded.He added, We in the Senate are ready and prepared to meet with the President on the issue. There is no way we can exercise our legislative functions especially in the area of oversight, using our personal cars.We need official vehicles to move around the country because we do not have to rely on government agencies under our supervision for such logistics if we really have to carry out an unbiased exercise.Nigerians should also note that we are not asking for too much by requesting Sport Utility Vehicles as official vehicles because there is no senator or member of the House of Representatives that cannot afford one. So, to us its not a luxury but a necessity to do our work better. Abdullahi appealed to Nigerians, especially the media, to cooperate with members of the National Assembly in the task of performing its constitutional roles of providing necessary checks and balances for effective governance. President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commiserated with the government and the people of Kogi State on the death of Dr. Abdul I. Atta. I... President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commiserated with the government and the people of Kogi State on the death of Dr. Abdul I. Atta.In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President said he joined the people of the state in mourning the former Permanent Secretary in the Northern Regions Ministry of Health.He said the deceased would always be remembered as an illustrious civil servant who served his region and country very well with his remarkable medical and administrative skills.The statement read in part, The President recalls that Dr. Atta treated his patients with great care and compassion, and also administered the Ministries of Health in Northern Nigeria and the old North Central State with exemplary efficiency.President Buhari urges all who mourn the late doctor and administrator to be comforted by the knowledge that he lived a long, worthy and fulfilled life of service to his country.He prays that God Almighty will receive Dr. Attas soul and grant him peaceful rest. The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has said he has yet to be invited for questioning by... The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has said he has yet to be invited for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.Metuh is alleged to be under investigation for allegedly collecting about N400m from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sabo Dasuki (retd.).The money was alleged to be part of the funds meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition for the fight against Boko Haram in North-East.Metuh had agreed that he collected undisclosed sum of money from former President Goodluck Jonathan.But he said he got the undisclosed amount from carrying out unspecific work as the spokesperson for the PDP for the former President.Metuh, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant, Mr. Richard Ihediwa in Abuja on Monday, said he was being tried by the media.Rather than being invited, he said he had been reading it in the newspapers about the alleged crime he was being investigated for.He wondered why he would be reading about his impending questioning on the pages of newspapers.The statement said, This office wishes to state categorically that the EFCC has never invited the National Publicity Secretary nor questioned him on any matter whatsoever since its inception.If indeed, the report (about his investigation) is from the EFCC, then they should note that only in a period of tyranny are people investigated on the pages of the newspapers as a prelude for abuse and violation of their freedom and rights under the law.It is instructive to observe that a mere media campaign of calumny does not in anyway whatsoever translate to any evidence of guilt.It is rather an evidence of infringement on the rights of the citizenry and manifestation of the reign of tyranny.Metuh said that in a democratic and civilized country, where there are issues that require investigations by such agencies, invitations are duly extended to those concerned.However, he said it was sad to read daily of people being investigated in select newspapers.This, he added, betrayed plots to portray them as guilty of fraud and crime, and targeted to convey the PDP as a corrupt party and the All Progressives Congress as party of Nigerians without sin.He added that, If we now have a system where citizens get to be investigated, tried and executed by planting stories in select newspapers, wherein then lies the need for our judicial process?Finally, we do hope that all concerned will be guided by due process at all times. The Lagos State Government said on Monday in Lagos that it had begun to seal off houses without standard toilets. Mr. Oluwatoyin Awosi... The Lagos State Government said on Monday in Lagos that it had begun to seal off houses without standard toilets.Mr. Oluwatoyin Awosika, the Director of Public Enlightenment in the states Ministry of Information and Strategy, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the closure of the houses was to check unwholesome practices such as open defecation.According to him, the government is also embarking on public enlightenment to educate residents on the dangers of open defecation.We would continue to educate people on the need to stop open defaecation.Again, you dont blame some of these people for doing these things, so many houses dont have toilets.So many houses dont have bathrooms, so naturally, you find these people doing it outside.Government cannot take all landlords and start inspecting all the houses, but the Ministry of Health, Wole, Wole Inspection Officers, the houses they go and they find that there are no toilets, they seal them up.That is an ongoing thing; their own is just to go round the environment, enter any residential or official premises, inspect; once they see any defect, they give them an ultimatum to put such things into practice.And once they are not done, they are sanctioned according to the law.The environmental law is clear, every house must have a standard kitchen, standard toilet, standard bathroom, they must have proper drainages around the house and water system.The education is endless, we do our own, the health officers do theirs; the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Office do education.And then when they have done enough education in certain areas, they do the enforcement and the enforcement is, those who run foul are brought before its tribunal.He stated that the state government is working closely with several non-government organisations with a view to changing the attitude of residents towards open defecation. Lawyers in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT yesterday expressed mixed feelings over the Federal Governments decision not to consider p... Lawyers in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT yesterday expressed mixed feelings over the Federal Governments decision not to consider plea-bargain being contemplated by treasury looters and their cronies.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, had declared that the Federal Government was more interested in recovering to the last kobo, all public funds stolen and stashed away by top politicians and their cronies under the guise of arms purchase.The government said that such plea bargain only allowed looters to go away with stolen public assets.Speaking with NAN in Abuja, a lawyer, Mr Silas Onu, said that governments stand was in order because plea-bargain was unconstitutional.Plea-bargain is not in Nigerian laws and so the refusal of the government to subscribe to it is not misplaced; government is only strictly following the laws.If you remember, the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, spoke about the illegality of plea-bargain.EFCC just invented a legal proceeding that is not known to our laws; and the way we even apply it in Nigeria is not as it should be.Plea-bargain has been used in Nigeria as pardon for criminality; but plea-bargain shouldnt be like that.It should be as is operated in America, where it should only earn you a reduction in punishment; it shouldnt set you free, Onu said.Mrs Uche Asiobi, another lawyer, who holds a different opinion, stated that plea-bargain should be considered if it will be to the benefit of the members of the public.I think sometimes you have to lose something to win something.I agree that it is hard, particularly when you are thinking of the economy and what has happened.You will think that these people should pay the full penalty, but if you take that angle, you might not get the full justice you require.So, if you realise that you will gain more through plea-bargain, it is better to apply it and recover more funds.Remember that even with plea-bargain the reputation of these people is already tarnished.So, plea-bargain should be used if the generality of the public will benefit from it instead of just one individual pocketing the loot, Asiobi said.Another lawyer, Ms Grace Ehusani, thinks that though the Federal Government would prefer to uphold justice, applying plea-bargain would encourage more treasury looters to confess.When you provide an opportunity for people to confess and admit to their crimes knowing that because they confessed, the punishment will be lighter, they will be more willing to come to an agreement with the government, she said.The former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and several others are currently being investigated and are facing prosecution over alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms. By Ihechukwu Njoku, After an eight month absence, Nigerian Prophet T.B. Joshua returned to his Lagos-based church, The Synagogue, Ch... By Ihechukwu Njoku,After an eight month absence, Nigerian Prophet T.B. Joshua returned to his Lagos-based church, The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), on Sunday 3rd January 2016 with more prophetic revelations concerning Africa.Speaking on the Nigerian political scene, Joshua declared that a minority party would soon rise to significance. One of the minority parties will be lifted up and reckoned with, he told congregants. Let us pray for Gods love and unity in Nigeria.It would be recalled that Joshua allegedly predicted the rise of the current ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), in 2010.Joshua further called for prayers for Nigerias new Agriculture Minister, Audu Ogbeh. We have to pray for God to sustain him because much is expected from him, Joshua declared, alluding to his earlier advice for the government to invest heavily in the agricultural sector.The cleric also prophesied extensively concerning Southern Africa and the challenges the region would face in 2016, particularly the farming industry.There will be little rain at the wrong time, which is not good for farming, Joshua warned. Many farmers will be discouraged, he continued, calling on the government to build dams and irrigation mechanism using available water from the sea.He further warned Southern African nations not to yield to any temptation to surrender their industries to foreign companies because of the challenges that would arise.Speaking in his usual parabolic tone, Joshua called for prayers for the regional leaders as the ending of February to April are very peculiar months in the Southern African sub-region.Joshua further gave a global warning concerning the volatile North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. I am seeing an arrow from there and it will affect the world, he declared, adding that North Korea possessed weaponry that most countries were unaware of.The war we are fighting already in Syria is still there. We cannot afford another one again, he stated, calling for those involved to embrace peace."There are going to be unusual, uncommon challenges this year 2016 but in challenges, we children of God flourish," he added, encouraging congregants and viewers of his popular television station Emmanuel TV.Followers of the Nigerian Prophet were delighted to see his return to the pulpit, claiming his unusual prolonged absence was for spiritual fortification'.Can you see that your pastor did not go on holiday, Joshua jokingly told the crowd after he had moved in the midst of the huge congregation, ministering deliverance and prophecy.The service had over 3,000 foreigners in attendance, including those who had travelled from the Eastern European nations of Ukraine and Russia.Joshuas last public appearance at The SCOAN was in April 2015, shortly before his Miracle Crusade in the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City which allegedly attracted over 150,000 attendees. Editor's note: Today, Atlanta architect Garfield Peart (MBA, AIA, NOMA, LEED Green Assoc.) concludes a three-part series for Curbed about the Cascade area of southwest Atlanta, tracing its current status as a hub for dignitaries, its controversial history and plans for future enhancements. He writes: Cascade Heights is a southwest community that is more than meets the eye and can boast many of the same amenities location, picturesque parks and green space and rich cultural history that mirror other vaunted Atlanta neighborhoods. Home to Atlanta movers-and-shakers like former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, Cascade Heights traces its history back to the 1920s and prominent Atlanta landscape architect William L. Monroe, Sr. The neighborhood which helped stem the tide of segregationist planning practices and permanently transformed Atlanta with the Peyton Wall Affair has the opportunity to once again step up to fight today's threatening forces of disinvestment, blight and gentrification by writing the next chapter of its own transformation. But what are the key elements to starting that transformation process? A 2014 Georgia Tech study by the School of Architecture, Urban Form + Community | identity, place development, commissioned by a dedicated group of neighborhood residents and local Atlanta city councilmembers, provides the definitive blueprint for the future of the Cascade Heights Commercial District. The study notes that "though residents hold great pride in their neighborhood, they are still disconnected" and cites the need for more active community engagement and creation of a clear identity as crucial for the district to once again become a regional destination. The Bigger Picture Mostly a single-family residential community, Cascade Heights, like other affluent southwest neighborhoods, has seen social engagement historically through parties and gatherings in private homes a trend that appears to exist from the segregationist period when blacks were not allowed in many public venues. Today, successful communities like Inman Park and Virginia-Highland benefit from a more vibrant commercial district of restaurants, retail and active streets that bring neighbors together and attract visitors from all over the metro area. The same group of dedicated neighborhood residents that commissioned the Georgia Tech study serves on the board of the newly formed Cascade Heights Community Development Corporation (CDC). The CDC understand the trend and are now trying to create a similar experience in the Cascade Heights commercial district. Formed in 2014, the Cascade Heights CDC "is providing the structure and necessary voice to instigate the change and actions needed," according to CDC member and architect Danita Brown. Another CDC member and notable community activist, Corliss Claire, recalled that the commercial district "looked like a third-world country 15 years ago ... but things are much better today." Brown, Claire and other residents like famed architect Oscar Harris have made significant progress even before the formation of the CDC. The group was the driving force behind the Atlanta City Council approval of the Cascade Heights Neighborhood Commercial District Ordinance in 2008. The legislation was co-sponsored by Atlanta City Councilmembers Keisha Lance Bottoms, District 11, and C.T. Martin, District 10, who also help fund the Georgia Tech study. Claire beamed at the success of the legislation and stated that this was one of the "first steps in controlling appearance of neighborhood." Recently updated in 2015, the ordinance is an essential tool in promoting more balanced pedestrian-friendly uses to support a vibrant and sustainable commercial district. Short-Term Approach During a tour of the commercial district this past summer with Claire and Brown, the two women saw the vacant buildings and parking lots not as blight but as opportunities for development. The Georgia Tech study concurs and outlines a host of "occupy" initiatives aimed at taking advantage of the inactive streets, vacant buildings and parking lots to encourage social events and interaction. Short-term solutions like facade improvement programs, food trucks, farmers markets, King of Pops popsicle stands, coffee carts and temporary uses like art galleries have all been successful in bringing neighbors together and fostering a sense of community in many intown Atlanta neighborhoods. Properties like the now-vacant Life Essentials Whole Foods Store near the intersection of Beecher and Cascade roads was a cornerstone of the community for more than 25 years, with a reported annual revenue of $500,000 to $1 million, according to Manta.com. According to the Cascade Patch, Life Essentials, a former member of the Sevananda Cooperative, "served as the Cascade community's main health food store ... It was a teaching institution, offering classes on herbs, yoga and the Martial Arts; providing tutorials and movies for children, and tie & dye classes for adults." The business closed its doors in2015. But the CDC asserts that the spirit and support for community-based businesses like Life Essentials lives on, and reusing the vacant building and property as potentially a short-term farmer's market or vendor expo to showcase local and regional businesses can be the catalyst for more long term revitalization. Activating streets, vacant lots and buildings can also help create a new identity for the neighborhood. New signage, site furnishings and art murals can create vibrant streets and buildings that reinforce the culture and history of the neighborhood. In addition, present-day assets like Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, planned access to the Southwest Atlanta BeltLine Connector through the Lionel Hampton Trail and established regional favorites like the Beautiful soul food restaurant give Cascade Heights a solid foundation for a walkable, sustainable and economically viable commercial core. Beneficial Diversity Cascade Heights remains largely African-American, but the neighborhood can benefit from a socially and economically diverse demographic to foster more community engagement and help shape its new identity. According to U.S. Census data illustrated in the Georgia Tech study, the neighborhood had a population of 32,218 in 2010. The highest resident age groups were 15-24, 25-34 and 45-54 which made up approximately 40 percent of the population. Economically, the neighborhood employment rate was 79 percent with over 5,200 households earning between $25,000 and $74,999. The diverse resident demographic, along with the more affluent movers-and-shakers of the neighborhood, are key factors in helping Cascade Heights reach its goals and realize its potential. In a recent interview for this article, Councilmember Martin discussed the importance of Cascade Heights as a "holding ground [against] some of the gentrification going on in the city." The neighborhood has a history of civil activism that has enriched both Southwest Atlanta and the entire city for decades. The recent Georgia Tech study, led by a strong group of residents and local public officials, provides the blueprint for needed revitalization of the commercial core, which is key to promoting neighborhood pride and attracting local Atlantans and visitors. The longtime neighborhood of Atlanta's black elite appears to be ready for the next phase of its own transformation. However, it must now draw upon the expertise and resources of the entire community to ensure the plans are fully realized and the neighborhood continues to be a destination for the next generation of Atlanta's movers-and-shakers. Part 2: How the Cascade Heights 'Revolution' Transformed Atlanta [Curbed] Part 1: Architect: Will the Real Cascade Heights Please Stand Up? [Curbed] an says it is using all diplomatic channels to pursue the release of a prominent Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky who was ar... an says it is using all diplomatic channels to pursue the release of a prominent Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky who was arrested by the Nigerian army last month.We have used all those channels to warn them [Nigeria] regarding this issue. So hopefully the government would adopt wise action given the sensitive situation, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hoseyn Jaberi-Ansari told reporters in the capital, Tehran.Sheikh al-Zakzaky after members of his Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) clashed with the army in the northern city of Zaria.Campaign group Human Rights Watch said at least 300 IMN members were killed and quickly buried in a mass graves during the incident. The Nigerian military denied the claim.The military accuses the pro-Iranian sect of trying to assassinate army chief Gen Tukur Buratai, which it denies.Iran is currently embroiled in a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia over the execution of a prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Shia are minority in Nigeria but their numbers are increasing The IMN, formed in the 1980s, is the main Shia group led by Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky They operate their own schools and hospitals in some northern states They have a history of clashes with the security forces The IMN is backed by Shia-dominated Iran and its members often go there to study Sunni jihadist group Boko Haram condemns Shias as heretics who should be killedBBC Noted local architect Philip Trammell Shutze made a name for himself as one of the most prolific classical architects of the 20th Century. He left his mark on the city with a multitude of buildings, including the Swan House, the Temple on Peachtree Street, the Academy of Medicine and Grady High School. Among the homes designed by Shutze is this 4,600-square-foot mansion on Tuxedo Road; built in 1937, it isn't one of Shutze's most famous, or most elegant, though sited elegantly on 2.6 acres, it still makes quite an impression. But, maybe, not for long. According to multiple sources, demolition could be in store for the historic home, with the owner applying for permits to carry out the work last week. The current owner, who bought the home for $2.2 million back in November, filed for permission to tear it down on Dec. 31. That new owner, Dallas Clement, happens to be the Executive VP and CFO of Cox Automotive the same Cox of the AJC and WSB so it's likely he'll be able to throw some weight around. Atlanta has a penchant for demolition, of course, but preservationists in the city are vowing to fight for this home's survival. We'll see if 2016 becomes the year of preservation. Members of progressive groups chanted. Bon Jovi's "Work for the Working Man" blared on the speakers. And a handful of leaders, including U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, delivered speeches. That's how Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially launched the Mario Cuomo Campaign for Economic Justice to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2016. In September, Cuomo announced his intent to push for a statewide minimum wage hike during the upcoming legislative session. His plans followed a wage board's decision to raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $15 an hour. Under the governor's proposal, the minimum wage for employees in New York City would increase to $12 an hour at the end of 2016, $13.50 an hour at the end of 2017 and $15 an hour on Dec. 31, 2018. For workers in the rest of the state, the minimum wage would go up to $10.75 an hour on Dec. 31, 2016, $11.75 on Dec. 31, 2017, $12.75 on Dec. 31, 2018, $13.75 on Dec. 31, 2019, $14.50 on Dec. 31, 2020 and $15 an hour on July 1, 2021. At a rally on Monday in New York City, Cuomo said they are going to push the state Legislature to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour. If the proposal is approved by legislators, New York will have the highest state minimum wage in the nation. The campaign named in honor of the current governor's late father a three-term governor of New York from 1983 to 1995 is supported by a mix of civil rights leaders, labor unions and progressive groups. A website, nyfightfor15.org, has been created and an online petition invites New Yorkers to urge legislators to support the minimum wage hike. In addition to the digital efforts, Cuomo said advocates will make phone calls and knock on doors. "We're going to win this battle the old fashioned way," he said. The labor groups supporting the proposal include 1199SEIU, the host of Monday's rally, and 32BJ SEIU. George Gresham, 1199SEIU's president, said raising the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour will help 3 million New Yorkers earn a decent living. "A hard day's work deserves a good day's pay," he said. Cuomo's plan should have no problem passing the Democratic-dominated Assembly, but its fate in the Republican-led state Senate is unclear. The GOP previously agreed to raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour, but that was a modest increase over the state's previous $7.25 minimum wage. So far, Republicans have been reluctant to get on board with the $15 minimum wage proposal. Another factor in the debate will be the role of business groups in lobbying against the wage hike. Greg Biryla, executive director of Unshackle Upstate, said upstate New York can't afford a $15 minimum wage. "The small businesses and farms that power our economy will be devastated, jobs will be lost, consumer costs will skyrocket and taxes will rise," he said. "If you truly support the upstate economy, then you can't support this unprecedented wage mandate." The issue will be one of many Cuomo and state legislative leaders will discuss during the 2016 session, which opens Wednesday. And it's clear the governor will do everything in his power to make it happen. Near the conclusion of his speech Monday, Cuomo had a message for legislators who may oppose or already oppose such an increase. "There are 3 million New Yorkers who need a raise," he said. "You vote against $15, you vote against the 3 million New Yorkers who need it." ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) - Cornell University is celebrating the centennial of its Lab of Ornithology with a giant mural featuring 270 species from the 243 modern bird families. The 70-foot by 40-foot mural was done by scientific illustrator Jane Kim. She devoted more than two years to create "From So Simple a Beginning: Celebrating the Evolution and Diversity of Birds." The mural, which took 16 months to paint, is at the lab's visitor center in Ithaca. It also includes 27 dinosaurs and pre-historic beasts because birds are descendants of those animals. Kim, who had to use a cherry picker boom to work on the birds of Africa, spent a year doing prep work. That included visits to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research in South Dakota. AURELIUS | The closures continue at Fingerlakes Mall. The steel gate is down at Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, and GNC plans to depart in March for a new location in the Fingerlakes Crossing plaza across Clark Street Road. Gertrude Hawk's former space is now empty, and all signage has been removed. The chocolate retailer opened there in 2004. Representatives of the Dunmore, Pennsylvania-based company could not be reached for comment Monday. GNC Regional Manager Ryan York, who oversees nine central New York locations of the national nutrition retailer, said the Aurelius store will be moving out of the mall in order to increase its visibility. It opened there in 1980, the same year the mall did. "Unfortunately, here in the mall we're just kind of hidden in here, and the mall doesn't really do anything for us in terms of advertising," York said Monday. "And the mall traffic has just completely died away on our side since Sears left." York said GNC's lease came up this month, and that rent was not a factor in its decision. Sales at the store were positive, he said, but there was little potential for growth at the mall. At Fingerlakes Crossing, GNC will move into either the building that houses Zoom Tan and Aspen Dental, or the one with Supercuts and Dollar Tree. A date has not been set, York said, but he doesn't expect the move to interrupt service. After its last day at the mall, employees will pack the store's inventory into a moving truck at 4 or 5 the next morning in order to open later that day, fully stocked, in its new location. "I'm excited to move," York said. "This area is huge in terms of people who work out and stay fit, so it's important for there to be a GNC out there where people can come in and get good advice." Fingerlakes Mall General Manager Rene Patterson could not be reached for comment Monday. Gertrude Hawk and GNC are the latest in a spate of closures at the mall, which lost its Sears, Littman Jewelers and Aeropostale stores early in 2015. The second half of the year saw the closures of Regis and Claire's, as well as the announcement that Kay Jewelers and Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft will follow early this year. Signage in the latter lists a closing date of Jan. 21. Five permanent national retailers remain in the mall: Bass Pro Shops, J.C. Penney, GameStop, Tuxedo Junction and The Shoe Dept. Also remaining are LV Nails, Savannah Bank, CPS Recruitment, Finger Lakes Karate, Heaven Sent Creations Flowers & Gifts, Erin's Way and Go Calendars, as well as kiosks Animal Riders and Cash for Gold. Joining them are new local jeweler West & Co. in the Littman space, new craft shop Tunison's Treasures in the former Claire's and new wellness business Infinity Healing & Instruction across from Savannah Bank. Subway/TCBY, Brooklyn Slice and China Max continue to occupy the food court, with Track Cinema adjacent. Murder suspect, 4 others arrested after minivan carjacked in New Orleans crashes in Harvey The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. WASHINGTON (AP) The House Jan. 6 committee plans to unveil "surprising" details at its next public hearing about the 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol. The session Thursday afternoon is likely to be the last public hearing before midterm elections next month. The panel is expected to include new evidence from the U.S. Secret Service about its actions with Donald Trump that day. Ahead of a report later this year, the panel is summing up its findings. The committee says Trump, after he lost the 2020 presidential election, launched an unprecedented attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory. They say the result was the deadly mob siege of the Capitol. SKANEATELES | During her lifetime, Julie Sharpe helped out the Skaneateles Festival as a volunteer usher and ticket-taker. Now, even after her death, the late Skaneateles woman will continue to support the month-long celebration of chamber music. Last month, the Central New York Community Foundation announced the creation of the Juliette Klein Sharpe Fund that the late Skaneateles woman established before her 2014 death with $850,000 from her estate to support seven local non-profit organizations, including the Skaneateles Festival. Susan Mark, the festival's general manager and a friend of Sharpe, said the festival learned of the gift through a letter sent by the foundation about a year ago notifying the festival of the fund but without further details or a specific amount at the time. Nonetheless, Mark said, she is pleased that Sharpe thought of the festival in deciding where her money should go. "It's terrific," Mark said. "What a wonderful gift. Totally unexpected. She was great. She was a hoot, just a terrific, fun lady. ... What a giving person too on every level." Mark said she first met Sharpe when the two served on the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors at the same time. But, for the festival, Mark called Sharpe "a wonderful volunteer" who helped out during concerts as an usher and ticket-taker and also housed musicians during the four weeks of the festival's rehearsals and performances. "She was terrific," Mark said of Sharpe. And Sharpe's service to the festival did not take place only when the concerts took place. Mark recalled Sharpe a massage therapist by trade helping out the late David Robinson, founder with his wife, Louise, of the now 36-year-old festival, toward the end of his life. "She helped so many people in that situation, end-of-life kind of thing," Mark said. "She was just a warmhearted, giving person. It's so fitting that she would continue (serving the festival) with this legacy fund." Though the festival knows neither the exact amount of money it will receive or specifically how it would use the funds, Mark suggested the money may go toward the $1.1 million Festival Future Campaign, which established the Robinson Pavilion Fund and the Artists Fund. The $600,000 Robinson Pavilion Fund seeks to construct an outdoor concert venue at Anyela's Vineyards to replace Brook Farm, a mile north of the winery on West Lake Road, as the place for outdoor performances during the Skaneateles Festival. The $500,000 Artists Fund, meanwhile, seeks to raise funding to sustain the festival and enhance the experience by bringing in more premier talent and larger groups to both indoor and outdoor concerts. "I know she had a wonderful fondness for the Robinsons, so it seems kind of fitting that that's where we would use her gift," Mark said of Sharpe. After raising $750,000 during a silent portion and launching the campaign publicly in the fall, Mark said the festival is 90 percent of the way toward its total goal for the Festival Future campaign. The next step, she said, is to take the campaign out to the rest of the community through a mass mailing in the next month or so to let people know what the festival's plans are with the pavilion and for the artists. "Hopefully we'll finish out," Mark said, noting the festival developed a pamphlet to circulate to the community. "Just to let everyone know what our plans are. It spells it all out. It talks about the funds and the plans for the pavilion, gets the word out to everyone." Natural history of western North America and beyond. Science Norths IMAX theatre will be closed for approximately one-month, starting today, while the theatre undergoes a major renovation to replace its projector and sound system with the worlds most state-of-the-art advanced cinema technology IMAX Science Norths IMAX theatre will be closed for approximately one-month, starting today, while the theatre undergoes a major renovation to replace its projector and sound system with the worlds most state-of-the-art advanced cinema technology IMAX with laser.Installation started on Jan. 4 and the theatre will reopen to visitors on Feb. 6.IMAX with laser represents a quantum leap forward in cinema technology providing audiences with the sharpest, brightest, clearest and most vivid digital images ever, combined with a whole new level of immersive audio.The new Science North IMAX with laser system, which is currently the third of its kind in Canada, is the most advanced cinema technology and a re-imagination of the movie-going experience.The dual 4K laser projection system features a new optical engine capable of projecting an image with up to 1.43:1 aspect ratio with maximum resolution and sharpness, unparalleled 2D and 3D brightness, industry-leading contrast and an expanded colour gamut that will allow filmmakers to present more vivid and exotic colours than ever before.The next-generation sound system delivers greater power and precision for ultimate audio immersion. The new system has been upgraded to 12 discrete channels plus sub-bass, and includes additional side channels and new overhead channels that will improve the systems ability to position sounds that surrounds the audience.Were delighted to bring laser technology to Northern Ontarios only IMAX screen at Science North. The introduction of IMAX with laser further reinforces our commitment to providing world-class experiences to our visitors who will be among some of the first in North America to experience this new technology, said Guy Labine, CEO of Science North in a news release.It reinforces Science Norths position as a world-leading destination for tourists and residents for years to come generating economic and job creation benefits for the tourism industry.IMAX with laser continues a long tradition of innovation at IMAX that is centered around blending art with science to create a unique experience moviegoers cant find anywhere else, said IMAX Chief Technology Officer, Brian Bonnick.With dramatic increases in sharpness, brightness, contrast and colour, as well as an upgraded sound system, patrons at Science North will be able to become immersed in documentaries and Hollywood films like never before.The renovation will allow Science North to offer the best cinematic programming available, whether the film is in the classic IMAX or IMAX 3D format for both documentaries as well as feature-length Hollywood films.When reopened in February, the new lineup of films includes Everest, The Gruffalo, America Wild: National Parks Adventure 3D, Humpback Whales 3D.Coming soon are Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Great White Shark 3D, The Gruffalos Child, A Beautiful Planet, D-day: Normandy 3D and much more.For more information visit sciencenorth.ca/imax Finlandia launches gym aimed at older adults A gym that offers free memberships to all seniors in Sudbury officially launched on Saturday, along with a $450,000 fundraising campaign to fully equip the facility with exercise equipment geared toward older adults. Finlandia CEO David Munch, left, Jimmy Krats, president of Finlandia's board of directors, Betty Parcher, lead fitness instructor, Gerry Lougheed Jr., chair of Finlandia's charitable foundation, and Kate Furlotte, the foundation's executive director, cut the ribbon Saturday to officially open the Seniors Fitness and Wellness Centre. Darren MacDonald photo. A gym that offers free memberships to all seniors in Sudbury officially launched on Saturday, along with a $450,000 fundraising campaign to fully equip the facility with exercise equipment geared toward older adults. The Seniors Fitness and Wellness Centre is located in Finlandia Village, and anyone in Sudbury aged 55 and older can receive a lifetime membership for $20 an administration fee that goes to pay the cost of insurance for the facility. David Munch, Finlandia's CEO, told the crowd Finlandia has promoted healthy activity for a long time. "Some of you may be aware, we have a therapeutic pool just across the hall, Munch said. This pool has been a community pool for the last 25 years for people to come in an exercise, be healthy and live long. Even as we speak, there's pool volleyball going on with some of our residents. "We want to encourage more of these activities, get people in this gym that we're promoting here today and for people to live long and stay strong." With the growing number of seniors in Sudbury, he said more of them want to ensure they remain as healthy and active as possible in their golden years. "Now that people in our community are getting older, they want to work out in a safe and comfortable environment ... They want to come to an area where they feel comfortable," he said. The gym feature some specialized equipment geared toward not only older adults, but individuals who may have special workout requirements. "The way I would characterize this exercise equipment is that it's smart equipment, Munch said. What do I mean by smart? It knows who you are. "Say for example, you've had a stroke on your left hand side, but your right hand side is fine. The machines can be calibrated to give you negative resistance on your stroke side, and positive resident on your good side -- with the whole goal of getting you back to equilibrium. That's one big thing we can do for people as we age in place." And the machines can keep track of your workouts and make changes as you get stronger, adjusting workouts for individuals as the progress. Louise Paquette, CEO of the Northeast Local Health Integration Network, said she's impressed by how officials at Finlandia are able to realize the goals they set. "As CEO of the Northeast LHIN I can tell you, lots of people have lots of ideas, but they lack in implementation," Paquette said. "What's impressive here ... you can see people understand the importance of making it real. Because as we age, we need to exercise, exercise, exercise. That's the trick. What Finlandia is doing now is making that real for the people in Finlandia." Jimmy Krats, president of Finlandia's board of directors, said Saturday's event was the start of the fundraising drive to pay for upgrades to exercise room, change room, sauna and pool. The goal is to have the work done by this summer. "Some of these upgrades have already taken place -- for example, the floor has been rubberized ... so it's good for your feet and helps ensure people don't slip," Krats said. "Our goal is to ensure this room is fully equipped to meet the fitness needs of all our seniors." Gerry Lougheed Jr., chair of Finlandia's charitable foundation, said his New Year's resolution was to get more fit. "It's a life or death resolution for me, I must tell you that, Lougheed said. As an undertaker, I understand mortality better than anybody else." He said an example of what lifelong exercise can achieve is Hidekichi Miyazaki, the world record holder for seniors in the 100m sprint. "Do you know how old he is? 105 years old, and he does the 100 metres in 42 seconds." He said Finlandia has long been an example for others when it comes to helping people age with sound mind and body. "A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to sit on the Prime Minister's National Forum on Health, and we looked at aging populations from coast to coast to coast, Lougheed said. And the property they said the rest of Canada should replicate is the one we're standing in right now ... We are the best, not just in our community, but the best in the country. "When you come here, you're going to rejuvenate your body, you're going to stimulate your mind and you're going to inspire your spirit with goodness and good fitness." For more information on the facility, call 705-524-3137, or go to http://www.finlandiafitness.com/ Updated at 1:25 p.m.: The election compliance audit committee has rejected a call for an audit of Mayor Brian Bigger's election expenses. The committee made the decision at about 1:20 p.m. Updated at 1:25 p.m.: The election compliance audit committee has rejected a call for an audit of Mayor Brian Bigger's election expenses. The committee made the decision at about 1:20 p.m. today that the application by Bernard Garner for an audit of the mayor's campaign spending. NorthernLife.ca will update this story with more details shortly.The committee tasked with deciding whether to audit Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger's election finances spent Monday morning getting an overview of their responsibilities, as well as some recent examples of decisions in Ontario. Original story The election compliance audit committee first order of business Monday morning was to elect a chair Karen Galipeau and vice chair, Jospeh McColeman. Next, Jody Johnson, a municipal law expert, gave an overview of their responsibilities, which is, she made clear, not to determine guilt or innocence, but whether there are grounds to order an election compliance audit. She also cited a number of recent examples, including that of former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. An audit concluded Ford had committed various apparent contraventions in his 2010 campaign and exceeded his $1.3- million spending limit by $40,168. In February, 2013, Toronto's Compliance Audit Committee voted 2-1 against hiring a special prosecutor to pursue charges against Mayor Ford for alleged election finance violations, the report said. Johnson cited other cases where candidates have been found to have violated the act, but the errors were found to be made in good faith. She also said there are provisions in place to make complainants pay costs if their actions are seen as frivoulous, but said she's not aware of that ever happening. Should the committee decide to proceed with the audit, it would appoint a firm to do the work. Once completed, the results would go to the committee, which has 30 days to decide whether to prosecute the case. Under Ontario's Municipal Elections Act, all candidates must follow specific election campaign finance rules and file financial statements with the city clerk detailing their campaign finance activities. Failure to do so can result in penalties ranging from a fine up to $25,000, removal from office or imprisonment. The request from Bernard Garner for the audit alleges Bigger violated several sections of the Municipal Elections Act. Garner is reportedly a friend of Dan Melanson, who lost to Bigger in the October 2014 municipal election. Bigger has hired the Toronto-based law firm Blaney McMurtry LLP to defend the case. Bigger's lawyer concedes some errors were made in the filings, but says they were so minor that they don't justify a compliance audit. Lawyer Jack B. Siegel argues that minor mistakes in filings do not require an audit, and that Bigger followed the spirit of election finance rules. Need cash for a Ring of Fire railroad? Try China KWG Resources ultimate dream of building a Ring of Fire railroad may have to be realized through a Chinese bank. Toronto-based junior minor KWG is looking to strike a deal with a Chinese firm to build railway infrastructure in and out of its Ring of Fire deposit. File photo KWG Resources ultimate dream of building a Ring of Fire railroad may have to be realized through a Chinese bank. A spokesman for the Toronto junior miner is hyping that a turning point has been reached that will jumpstart the stalled development process of the untapped mineral belt in Ontarios Far North. KWG announced Dec. 29 that a Chinese railroad engineering firm, China Railway First Survey & Design Institute Group, is conducting a feasibility study to determine if it makes economic sense to run rails north to reach the rich chromite and nickel deposits of the James Bay region. The odds are extremely high, said Bruce Hodgman, KWGs communications director, in categorizing the likelihood of his company securing offshoring financing with a bankable feasibility study of KWGs railroad concept. I think were making it happen. I think this is a huge turning point for the Ring of Fire. Last fall, KWG gave China Railway all-access to its technical data for a proposed chromite ore haul railway. The company is now promoting that the Chinese want to take the next step with a more in-depth study. Besides looking for rail infrastructure money, when KWG president-CEO Frank Smeenk travels to China in mid-January to discuss the parameters of the study, hell be looking to secure chromite offtake agreements from the Chinese. In return for the design and construction of a railroad, Hodgman said the Chinese could be paid in ferrochrome (processed chromite used in stainless steel production), or possibly semi-finished products. Do we just make ferrochrome or do we carry this further, as Frank has described in the past, and make stainless steel ingots and take it that far, or billets. Everything is on the table. Whether China Rail takes an equity stake in KWG will be part of the negotiations, he said. If we bring the financing for the Ring of Fire railway infrastructure, and we bring the Chinese in with an offtake agreement so youre guaranteeing the market, thats huge. KWG is also hoping the Chinese can help them commercialize a patent-pending chromite reduction technology that uses natural gas. However, the cold reality is that building a chromite mine in the Far North is a long way off. KWG only holds a 30 per cent stake in the Big Daddy chromite deposit, which it shares in a litigious partnership with Noront Resources, and has the right to earn a substantial interest in another nearby chromite deposit through an arrangement with Bold Ventures. Since the departure of Cliffs Natural Resources from Ontario last spring, no major mining company has emerged with the financial clout or a precise mineral resource calculation that would make banks comfortable to lend money to develop a mine. However, KWG strategically possesses the best potential rail access route to reach the Ring of Fire. In an unprecedented move in 2010, the company used mining claims to stake a 340-kilometre corridor, following a path of sand ridges, from a point on the CN main line near Nakina, north into the James Bay lowlands. But the legality of using claims for such a long corridor has been the subject of ongoing provincial tribunal and court challenges; first by Cliffs Natural Resources and now by Noront, who acquired Cliffs chromite properties last spring. Whether KWG ultimately keeps control of that staked route has yet to be decided by the courts. In reality, what does it matter?, said Hodgman, dismissively. It looks like were going to build a railway. If Noront, on the other side of the argument, decide that they want to build a road over our claims, they have to show the government they have wherewithal to build that road, and I dont think they do. Its irrelevant. However, Noronts stated intentions are to build a road running west from Pickle Lake to reach its Eagle One nickel deposit in the Ring. For now, KWG is promoting China Rail for its extensive experience with transit projects in its own country and its aggressive plans to export their expertise worldwide. China Rail is leading a consortium of six state-owned businesses in joining forces with an American firm to build a high-speed rail link between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Theyre used to building much larger projects globally, Hodgman said. If theyre building on our corridor youre not pushing it through muskeg but on top of a sand ridge. I dont think its as challenging as everybody thinks. KWG is still wedded to the idea of the publicly owned Ontario Northland Railway (ONR) operating the railroad to haul out the chromite. Its something were extremely open to and makes the most sense, said Hodgman, and it alleviates the need for the province to fund it (the railway). Hodgman said the company has always remained in regular contact with the ONR on their concept. The Indiana House approved Tuesday an amendment to a Senate bill that could significantly change the trajectory of Indiana's energy efficiency programs, which are popular with customers of NIPSCO and other utilities. Amendment proponents said the House action merely hits the "pause button" on the state's core energy efficiency program, while opponents say it sticks a dagger through its heart. The bill in amended form must now be passed by the House and then go back to the Senate. Indiana Energy Association Vice President Mark Maassel said the House acted to give regulators and utilities more time to study the effectiveness of the state's energy efficiency efforts, which were projected to rapidly increase in cost in the next five years. "This is not the General Assembly saying stop energy efficiency in Indiana," Maassel said. The Sierra Club, an opponent of the original bill that passed the Senate on a 37-11 vote, said the new House amendment would essentially "gut" the state's energy efficiency effort. "Today's decision by the Indiana House of Representatives will roll back a proven winner, put energy efficiency workers out of their jobs, and threaten to raise electricity bills for all Hoosiers," said Jodi Perras, Indiana representative for the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign. The bill as passed by the Senate would have allowed large industrial and commercial customers to stop paying customer surcharges that pay for the programs, saving them from 1 percent to 3 percent on electric bills, according to proponents. The bill as amended in the House prevents the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission from replacing expiring contracts for Energizing Indiana, which provides home energy audits, a light-bulb replacement program and others. The commission has been preparing to enter into new five-year contracts for the program. The Senate bill as amended in the House appears to throw responsibility for the energy-efficiency programs back to utilities. NIPSCO has touted the energy efficiency programs for its customers for the past two years through a broad-based advertising campaign. The NIPSCO program includes rebates on energy saving appliances, appliance pickups and home weatherization. The utility also promotes the Energizing Indiana effort. NIPSCO also has concerns about the increasing costs of the energy efficiency programs, said NIPSCO spokesman Nick Meyer. NIPSCO residential customers currently pay a monthly surcharge of $2.68 for the programs. "We support energy efficiency programs that would provide benefits for consumers, but we want to make sure they are done in a cost-effective way and don't put a burden on customers," Meyer said. NIPSCO and others were still assessing the impact of the House bill on Tuesday. Although utilities have for a decade or more offered limited energy efficiency programs, the broad-based effort that included Energizing Indiana came about as the result of almost a decade of effort by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Consumer groups were not hopeful about the future of the effort on Tuesday. "The conversation has shifted from 'Lets get some rate relief for Indiana job creators' to killing energy efficiency programs altogether," said Citizens Action Coalition Executive Director Kerwin Olson. WASHINGTON | Richard Lugar takes a seat at a well-worn circular conference table. In an office filled with shiny, new fixtures, it's a notable relic from his 36-year career in the Senate. At this table, two decades earlier, Russian officials sat down with Lugar and Georgia Senator Sam Nunn, to make an unusual request. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia was bankrupt and needed money and technicians to secure its arsenal of nuclear weapons. "It was one of these situations in history that really could not have been foretold, that a great power would be coming to another great power and saying help disarm us and protect us. But thats what happened," Lugar recounts. The Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program secured and dismantled thousands of nuclear warheads, intercontinental ballistic missiles and tons of chemical weapons. The program has continued through several administrations and the retirement of Senator Nunn. In 2005, U.S. Senator Barack Obama joined the effort and made his first trip to Russia with Lugar. "We had the very unfortunate experience right off the bat in Perm, (Russia) we were incarcerated," Lugar says. "There were allegations that I was actually a spy and the Russians were trying to get on our Air Force plane." After several hours being held in the basement of the Perm airport, the senators were freed. As for the table, which had passed from Nunn's office to Lugar's office, it made another journey from the U.S. Capitol to the office building in D.C.'s Dupont Circle neighborhood. Here, a month after leaving the Senate, the 80-year-old Lugar discussed his future plans and his continued focus on securing the world from potential dangers. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and space. Q: It's been a month since you left the senate after a 36-year career. What's the transition been like? A: It's been a very busy transition. Before we left, I knew that I would have opportunities for affiliation with Indiana University, University of Indianapolis, Georgetown University and German Marshall Fund. In each of these categories, we've had very nice celebrations. Out at Indiana University with President (Michael) McRobbie and the great new international school they're building there is going to utilize hundreds of faculty members. They already have a great language program there. This really will make IU the pre-eminent leader in international studies. And that's very exciting. I'll be on the advisory committee, co-chair with Lee Hamilton, and we'll have some days on campus visiting with students. At the University of Indianapolis last December, at our annual meeting with the high school students all over the state, we announced there would be a Lugar Academy there, and they're going through, likewise, teaching assignments on campus. Here in this office we're going to be working with interns recruited by the University of Indianapolis to come here for a Washington experience. We will help organize their assignments in various offices as well as I will spend time with them to hopefully enrich their experience. Q: What kind of activities do you envision the interns doing here? A: We've had in my Senate office for all 36 years, interns that were there all year-round. In our office, they handled regular affairs, day by day. They worked with staff members. They were on the telephone. They were writing letters. They were reading materials in preparation for hearings and speeches. I spent usually a couple hours with them in question and answer sessions each week, making certain that they were getting the information they needed. It will be different assignments in different offices here. Q: Are you going to be able to maintain some of your staff in this new endeavor? A: We're hopeful of doing that. Beyond the assignments I mentioned, the German Marshall Fund deals with ambassadors throughout Washington. I already had a breakfast with 25 ambassadors. We're talking about how there can be much greater understanding between ambassadors and Congress. But as you mention, we have staff members that have great skills in trying to control weapons of mass destruction and in feeding the world, world nutrition. So we're hopeful that we'll be able to gain some traction through grants by various foundations that would like for me to continue on this work. And if that is so, we will be able to employ some of our most valued staff members in the past who will continue their research, publications, lectures. In other words, we will be a hub of activity in trying to advance these projects. Q: You mentioned controlling weapons of mass destruction. How do you see yourself out of the Senate continuing to influence these global security issues? A: Well essentially, I found that even though I'm not in the Senate, most of the people interested in these issues still want to visit with me. I'm in the process of determining how many speeches and appearances that I want to make in the United States and other parts of the world as invitations come in. This is a new life for me, I've got to try to determine how to allocate time, how much time it takes physically to travel to South Korea or to Baku, Azerbaijan. But in any event, there is considerable interest. So for me, it's a new livelihood and profession. Most of these appearances have substantial honorarium attached to them and also opportunities to be with people in different locations throughout our country or throughout the world. Q: Food security is high on your list of priorities, can you talk about that issue? A: Fundamentally, every country in the world is potentially vulnerable. Most countries that have considerable wealth and a backlog of agricultural experience have been able to feed their populations for some time. The facts of life however, are that many countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa have had chronic food shortages. This happens because of lack of production skills or research in proper seed and fertilizer. Climate change and droughts in various countries have created huge shortages. This doesn't work for a stable world. This was inflicted in Indiana, so close at hand, this past year. On my own farm for example, we were back down to 40 bushels per acre of corn (because of the drought). No amount of scientific farming can overcome that. So to get to your point about what kind of research and ideas are needed, first of all, trade policy. There is no area where things are more gummed up than in the foreign trade of food. And in part, it's because of self-preservation. Some countries, if they are in difficulty, husband everything they have within their country and do not export any of it. Likewise, there are some countries that have protectionist sentiments and are trying to keep certain things out. But it's not a free flow. And the food of the world is becoming more expensive. This is to the benefit of Indiana farmers the cost of corn and soybeans is terrific. But even in Indiana, feeding chickens and cattle, not so good. The livestock industry has been heading down. But if that's occurring in Indiana, a prosperous place with Purdue's research, heaven help those areas where there are not all these things going for them. One big argument we're going to have is over genetically-modified seed for example. The genetically-modified argument, is creating tension in over 60 countries that are convinced that somehow genetically-modified anything would be injurious to either the health or the environment. That's particularly true of European countries, that have great influence over Africa. The effect has been to completely stall the progress in Africa. The Gates Foundation, USAID, others have tried to overcome this in a small way. This really calls for a monumental change of outlook in the science itself. People are coming to the conclusion that not only is genetically modified safe, but it's absolutely essential if you're going to get the yields required to feed countries or feed the world. But it's a big argument and one in which I've been engaged and hopefully will be more successful. Q: Is there also a role for the farm technology we have, exporting that for our economic benefit and to help these issues in other countries? A: Obviously we have farm equipment and machinery that are the world's best. For example, fields now in Indiana can be planted maybe 100 acres in a day. Frequently, there will have been soil tests so that using computers on board the equipment doing the planting, you can plant a little more here or there, or change the fertilizer mix, or do things that are going to be beneficial for production. And likewise, the harvest can occur with that degree of speed. So as a result, for example in Indiana, we have increasingly young farmers graduating from Purdue, sometimes they do not have a great deal of money. They rent land from people who are older who are no longer doing the farming, or from families living out of state. Put together maybe 2,500 acres over which they can best amortize the cost of the equipment they have purchased. Bit by bit, they make money, they buy land, often from the people they're renting from, and this is an evolution that makes a younger agricultural group a very good thing for our state, as well as our country. The problem is how do you translate that to other countries? Obviously, our experience is useful for others to observe. Our equipment is very useful for them to have. Even the computer arrangements and the algorithms involved in agriculture are incredibly important exports of American knowledge. Q: Indiana, in addition to being a farming state is a very big manufacturing state. You mention international trade. We have our international Port, which you visited during your campaign. We have mayors that have made trips to China. So in this increasingly global environment, how do Hoosiers leverage globalism to enhance the local economy? A: If I can digress for a moment to the biographical sketch, I came back from the Navy and my brother from service in the Army to a factory my dad tried to manage, my grandfather founded, making food machinery long band ovens, cutting machines and what have you. The difficulty was that by the time we got there, and we knew this was the case, a wave was about to hit the rocks. Sales were down. The whole situation, given the absence after the death of my father, had created this vacuum. So fortunately, my brother had a Purdue engineering degree. I was purely a liberal arts denizen and the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford and so forth, and the Navy. But my contribution was to come over here to Washington; Homer Capehart, the senator from Indiana, got an appointment for me at the export/import bank. This was not a well-known institution in Indiana at that time. As a matter of fact, the loan guarantee that I got from the export/import bank for a sale of our equipment in Mexico was perhaps the first one for a small business in Indiana and certainly, maybe aside from Eli Lilly Co., the only people acquainted with export/import in that part of the world. But this led to exports to Mexico, and then to South American countries, ultimately to the Philippines, and the resurrection of Thomas L. Green Co. so that we were able to employ more people, expand to over 100 persons on the factory floor and had worldwide business in which people came to Indianapolis from these countries to see our equipment and visit with us personally. To get to the larger point, when I was elected mayor, I had the good fortune of being asked by President Nixon to go with Pat Moynihan later became Senator Moynihan, but was then in the administration to Brussels to NATO to represent the cities of America, and so I invited all the mayors of the world to come to Indianapolis the following year, not being bashful about this, and about 50 came. This reinvigorated all of the various nation groups in Indianapolis, whether it was the Germans or the Serbs or whoever, and they all had parties for their nationals who had come. But it also brought the attention to Indianapolis that I was hopeful for so that all these people having made their plane trips sort of understood what was going on. Then I could deal with as mayor and attempted really to invigorate the exports of all of our citizens. When I came to Washington, I sought membership on the foreign relations committee as one of my first assignments. I didn't get on the committee for a couple years, but I had 34 years of service altogether. This led to very concentrated travel throughout the world, in part for weapons of mass destruction, but a lot of it dealt with trade and dealt with ties to Indiana. For example, we always had a story to tell about some group or some city or some factory in Indiana that were going to be friendly to whoever was there. So we developed a Rolodex that was very substantial. And this I treasured, because it led to all sorts of interesting contacts in Indiana, as well as in Washington as we dealt with this. Q: Do you know offhand how many countries you visited in your time in the Senate? A: I should probably make a list sometime, but I'm certain over 50 and probably upwards of that. Q: When you entered the Senate, the major threat was the Soviet Union. As you leave the Senate, we're in the midst of the Global War on Terror. What do you see as the major security threats 20 or 30 years from now? A: I think one of them will revolve around the food problem we were just talking about. Although, I'm very hopeful that countries will be enlightened, that they will adopt better agricultural practices starting with seed and fertilizer. I'm not overconfident of this, given the last 50 years or so. If not food, fuel. That will be the other major problem, that supplies of oil, natural gas, biofuels, whatever we have available, may not be enough to take care of all the people that have a rising standard of living. The Chinese situation is sort of instructive in this with hundreds of millions of people moving from the farms and rural settings where frequently there were no lights, no constant source of power for fuel. They hope to farm enough to feed themselves. They move to cities, where they turn on the lights or heat a small apartment. It's a huge revolution occurring, and so these are going to be situations in which countries covet what they need. But at the same time, getting back to our earlier business about feeding people, people will fight before they die. Their national sovereignty will really depend on their ability to produce this degree of security and living for people. So in the midst of this, we will continue to have, I suppose, the fractionalization that comes with huge numbers of tribes that have different religions, different economic and political philosophies. We are becoming acquainted with this much more than we really wanted to. As we got into war with Iraq for example, and tried to figure out how to deal with at least three major groups there. In Afghanistan, we have found an even more complex problem of many more tribes that have never been part of a central state, or thought of that. As a matter of fact, (they) don't even recognize the boundaries of Afghanistan, they say these were imposed by Europeans a long while back. Skipping, because of current events, to Mali, where there is chaos. The French have come in, tried to take over Timbuktu and various ancient situations, but people say "who are the terrorists there? Are they al Qaida?" Well scholars say, "not exactly." But nevertheless, Osama bin Laden before he died often pointed out that al Qaida really could reach out to all sorts of disparate groups who were unhappy, if not actual terrorists. And so you have a sort of amalgamation of these sorts of things. Who tried to knock out the oil plant in Algeria? Well a group of Algerians, but it dates back to how the Algerian government was formed, the authoritarian nature of that and so forth. So now the United States is coming to sort of an overall policy, although it's not really engraved this way. We would like to have stations in various places where we can get better intelligence to begin with and then if necessary, use drones to strike at people who we believe are potential danger to the United States without having to send a battalion of troops with all the logistic support, which is going to be prohibitively expensive given the number of countries. All I'm saying is the general lack of cohesion of governance in many Middle Eastern countries, certainly African countries, is apparent and probably is not going to go away in our time. The question will be then, in terms of our own security, are we able to have comprehensive intelligence to know where the malefactors are? And drones and other devices of this variety when in extreme cases in terms of our national security we need to knock somebody out, we can do that. That's part of our security problem. Q: On the topic of energy, which you mentioned, with energy shortages being a concern, there's a tension between that and the notion of climate change. A: Yes, and the environment, likewise for instance in the United States where we have a huge amount of new oil. Q: Exactly, and I wanted to get into your support for the Keystone XL pipeline, which is controversial from an environmental standpoint. How do you balance the environmental concerns with the need for that energy? A: Well, I believe first of all, that we are going to continually fight until we solve the problem of energy independence in the United States. One president after another in their State of the Union addresses has lamented the fact that we are tremendously vulnerable, as we have been throughout the last century, to the lack of energy supplies in the United States. Franklin Roosevelt attempted to bring a partial solution to this by his treaties or agreements with the Saudi monarchs. This, however, has led to, some would say, huge defense expenditures for the last 50 years in the Middle East to preserve our ability to actually have that oil delivered to the United States. Likewise, other countries that have oil, that have frequently been unfriendly. But until recently, we were still importing, despite all these entreaties for energy independence, two-thirds of our oil supply. Now one could say, "why don't you do something else?" For the time being at least, our engine motor system in the United States has been largely upon oil. Oil by in large is less productive of CO2 than coal. But this has not led to the French or the Chinese from using much more coal than any other country has used on Earth. The British, supplanting the United States in terms of CO2 used in that direction. All I'm saying is that in order for our economy to work, for normal Americans to enjoy having their houses heated, their cars running, other things we take for granted, we need these supplies. So as a result, the XL pipeline is a good example of a situation of which the Canadians have a supply that's a fairly large one. The production of all that pipeline will create jobs for Americans at a time when the jobs issue is still right upfront. Now furthermore, it provides for us, if we do not need the particular kind of oil and some would say that the Canadian oil is heavy crude, not the light crude that is better what if we could export it? This might help our balance of payments. The consequence of not doing this is that the Canadians have said quite frankly that they are going to sell every bit of it to China. So it's going to reappear somewhere in the Earth's atmosphere, but in this case the Chinese would be the beneficiary and we would have lost a good bit of friendship with the close people up in Canada. Now in the United States, we have a situation with fracking, not only in South Dakota and North Dakota, which has been remarkable, but in Pennsylvania and Ohio. We're now importing only one-third of the oil we use. It's a turnaround that is hard to comprehend in terms of our national argument. It has led on occasion to gasoline prices going down rather than up, even in a time that we've tried to say the only way we can suppress all this is with a carbon tax, some way of at least stopping our use. I'm all in favor of conservation and the legislation that I've produced year after year provided practical ways in which Americans in buildings, either governmental or private, or in their cars or in whatever use they may in their homes on their farms, would use less because it was being used in more satisfactory ways. But the incentive for you as a business, for example, the Empire State Building is a capital case. They spent $15 million revamping their electrical and heating system and they paid that loan back in about two years and they're making money on it. The point is, it's good business as well as conservation. But you have to have at least the confidence that you can produce the BTUs that you need. Q: I want to get back to education, and it was great seeing the Gary West Side sweatpants you have there. Can you talk about the partnership you have had with the Gary schools during your career? A: Almost annually I had visits to high schools in Gary. Quentin Smith, a remarkable educator with whom I had very close ties, was very helpful in my understanding of the Gary school situation really from the beginning. So I leaned on him a great deal for information as well as to try to be helpful. But this was really true of my visits around the state. We're always involved with the high school students, and this is why at the University of Indianapolis, we had this annual event in which we invited two juniors from each high school in Indiana to come to Indianapolis for a day in which I would address the group with a comprehensive statement, lots of question and answers for hours. We had other experts come in and so forth. Typically, these students would put this in their dossiers as one of the highlights. And we will continue that. Q: One of the things we wrestle with in our area in particular is the notion that educating young people and you have great universities in Indiana but the issue is after they graduate, the brain drain and the fact that there aren't the quality jobs for college graduates, how do you remedy that? A: I've worked in the last couple of years especially with Tom Snyder and Ivy Tech, Teresa Lubbers, who had responsibility in the state capitol, was a former staff member of mine, as well as her husband, Mark Lubbers. Because they are working on how do you bridge the gap? In other words, how do you move from whatever level of education a student has to a job? This is illustrated up in the northern part of Indiana where there are several scientific, chemical and medical firms, they're big firms with good jobs, and to their credit, they've been prepared to take on board a good number of students. Some are doing work at Ivy Tech or Ivy Tech is set up in Indiana, sort of way stations for colleges and so forth that match where the industries are, that might have a specific knowledge that would be able to make the transfer. It's absolutely critical. Government can play a definite role in bringing the parties together as opposed to simply counting the statistics and lamenting that it's too bad that folks can't find a job. Q: How much time are you going to spend here and then back in Indiana working with students in Indianapolis and Bloomington? A: It remains to be seen, because we're just in the first four weeks of this new life. First of all, it's taken some effort just to move out. I think 1,300 or 1,400 boxes. Now about 1,000 of those have been deposited at IU in the archives. They have a very good archivist, and that's why we made that selection. Lee Hamilton's archives are there, and so it's nice always to work with him. So that left another 300 boxes to come over here, or somewhere en route. We've set up temporarily a situation where there are five offices that are adjoining here. Now whether we'll be able to employ, as I talked about earlier, the talented staff member that I want and need for these projects will depend on our ability to raise the money to do this. So that remains to be seen. Q: So how are you looking to raise the money and finance the operation? A: Well, there are many foundations that are interested in what we are doing, so these are conversations that are ongoing and hopefully we'll be successful in the months to come. Meanwhile, I've been doing various appointments, projects, back and forth to Indiana for various things. I'm going back shortly to the Rotary Club in Indianapolis. They're going to celebrate their centennial. They're going to have the international president there, and I'm going to be honored as Rotarian of the Century. I was very moved by that, because it's meant so much to me. Q: It is a big change for you obviously. We've seen some of your fellow senators leave office expressing criticism of the workings of the Senate. Sen. Evan Bayh comes to mind, who was outspoken in his criticism as he left. Do you share those frustrations, or do you have a little bit of a different perspective? A: Well I thoroughly enjoyed my service in the Senate. I feel grateful that the people of Indiana gave me that opportunity, and I would not have run for re-election if I did not want to continue to serve. The projects I had under way, the things I was doing all over Indiana all over America, all over the world, were very important to me and still are. And I'm hoping to continue many of them. But I enjoyed my colleagues. I appreciate the comments that are made about the partisanship and the degree of difficulty of getting work done. It reflects this particular time in America where people are very disillusioned because of lack of jobs, lack of opportunities, worry about their families, not certain how this fits in with the rest of the world, not getting the answers they need. So that frustration, I can understand. But at the same time, I'm not going to attribute all of this to the Senate or the Constitution of the United States was drawn up ineptly. It think it's much more a question of trying to be persuasive and trying to make the best arguments. Likewise, being able to listen to other people and to try to work with them to find solutions. One of the great things about my opportunity to serve in the Senate was that I had very good times in all parts of the state of Indiana. In other words, I thoroughly enjoyed my eight years as mayor of Indianapolis. But the concentration was on Indianapolis. Election to the Senate brought a wonderful new constituency statewide, so I had good reason to travel throughout the state to find new friends and forge great relationships, which I did. I will miss that part of the work. INDIANAPOLIS | U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., is the fourth-most bipartisan senator to serve over the past two decades and the Democrat most willing to work across party lines, according to an analysis from a think tank led by former U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar. The Lugar Center recently expanded its Bipartisan Index to rate U.S. senators based on how often legislation they sponsored from 1993-2014 attracted co-sponsors from the other political party, and whether a senator co-sponsored measures proposed by someone not of his or her party. Former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., who briefly ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, topped the index as the most bipartisan senator. He was followed by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine. Donnelly, who is in the fourth year of his first term, came in fourth out of the 227 senators who have served in the 100-member chamber since 1993. "My responsibility is to do what is right for Hoosiers no matter which party an idea may come from," Donnelly said. "I believe we are stronger and more effective when we work together, and when we prioritize bipartisan efforts we can get things done that will help Indiana and our country." The namesake of the Lugar Center placed 24th for bipartisanship, just ahead of former Connecticut U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee. Lugar represented Indiana in the Senate from 1977 to 2013. He said he believes the nonpartisan analysis "illustrates the changing nature of the Congress" and explains in part "why it has become so dysfunctional in recent years. "But it also shows that some lawmakers with strong ideological views can nonetheless find common ground with members of the other party," Lugar said. Of the two senators who also represented Indiana since 1993: Democrat Evan Bayh rated 61st on the Bipartisan Index; Republican Dan Coats placed 214th for his work during two nonconsecutive six-year terms. Two Republicans from Illinois were among the most willing to work with Senate Democrats. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (1999-2005) were rated 18th and 22nd, respectively. Former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, D-Ill., (1993-1999) was the highest-rated Illinois Democratic senator at 93. She was followed by Paul Simon (1985-97) at 120; Dick Durbin (1997-present) at 126; Barack Obama (2005-08) at 165; and Roland Burris (2009-10) at 221. The Lugar Center determined the least bipartisan senator over the past two decades was former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. DeMint quit Congress in 2013 to become president of the Heritage Foundation, a leading conservative think tank. His replacement, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., was the second-least bipartisan senator, followed by U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Former U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., scored highest (156) for bipartisanship among current and former Democratic senators still running for president this year. At 217, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was the third-least likely Democrat to work with Republicans. The Republican presidential candidate most willing to cross party lines was U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in 122nd place. He was followed by former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., at 145; U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., at 170; U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., at 222; and Cruz at 224. Edward Montgomery, dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, which co-sponsors the Bipartisan Index, said he hopes it reminds lawmakers that conservative or progressive ideologies shouldn't be a deterrent to political cooperation. "Our society faces significant challenges both domestically and abroad," Montgomery said. "Now, more than ever, we need our lawmakers to work together to get things done." WASHINGTON | The Dupont Circle office building is just 2-1/2 miles from the U.S. Capitol, where Richard Lugar built a legacy of statesmanship over the past 36 years. Bright and open with glass dividers and sleek, modern decor, the cluster of offices are a contrast to the hallowed halls of the Senate. But the surroundings represent a new start for Lugar, who at 80 years old shows no sign of slowing down. He keeps a full schedule these days working to set up a non-profit organization that will continue the work he did as a senator on global security issues, and partnering with universities to mentor a new generation. It's a change that he didn't necessarily seek out, losing his 2012 re-election bid in the Republican primary to Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Democrat Joe Donnelly assumed Lugar's Senate seat in January after defeating Mourdock in the general election. One month after leaving the Senate, Lugar invited The Times to his new offices for a wide-ranging exclusive interview. "It's been a very busy transition. Before we left, I knew that I would have opportunities for affiliation with Indiana University, University of Indianapolis, Georgetown University and the German Marshall Fund," Lugar said. Lugar is a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, which works with ambassadors throughout Washington. "I already had a breakfast with 25 ambassadors. We're talking about how there can be much greater understanding between ambassadors and Congress," he said. On the academic front, Lugar will coordinate a Washington internship program for students at the University of Indianapolis and will lecture there, as well as at Georgetown University. In January, Indiana University announced Lugar would join the faculty of IU's School of Global and International Studies and serve as co-chair of the new IU International Advisory Committee with former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton. Lugar also deposited 1,000 boxes of his Senate papers at the IU archives. But his most ambitious plans are to continue his work on global security. Lugar's legacy includes the Nunn-Lugar program, where he partnered with Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Georgia, to secure and deactivate nuclear weapons after the breakup of the Soviet Union. More than 7,600 strategic nuclear warheads were deactivated under the program. "We have staff members that have great skills in trying to control weapons of mass destruction and in feeding the world ... So we're hopeful that we'll be able to gain some traction through grants by various foundations that would like me to continue on this work. And if that is so, we will be able to employ some of our most valued staff members in the past who will continue their research, publications, lectures. In other words, we will be a hub of activity in trying to advance these projects." Among Lugar's chief concerns is food security, which he thinks could play a key role in future conflicts. It's a subject where his experience running his family's Marion County farm comes into play. "Many countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa have had chronic food shortages. This happens because of lack of production skills or research in proper seed and fertilizer," Lugar said. "Climate change and droughts in various countries have created huge shortages. This doesn't work for a stable world." Lugar says over the years, thanks to better farming techniques and technology, he's seen a quadrupling in yields on the same acreage of his family farm. "That is going to have to occur throughout the world if the increasing population is to be fed." But, Lugar adds, trade policy is a big concern with the protectionist sentiments of many countries. "There is no area where things are more gummed up than the foreign trade of food," he said. Another big battle on the horizon, Lugar said, is over genetically modified seed, which has met resistance in Europe and stalled progress in Africa. "People are coming to the conclusion that not only is genetically modified safe, but it's absolutely essential if you're going to get the yields required to feed countries or feed the world." If not food, Lugar believes conflicts in the coming decades could arise over fuel, as supplies strain to meet the demands of a rising standard of living. "The Chinese situation is sort of instructive in this, with hundreds of millions of people moving from the farms and rural settings where frequently there were no lights, no constant source of power. ... They move to cities, where they turn on the lights or heat a small apartment. It's a huge revolution occurring." One of the battles Lugar fought in his final year in the Senate was over the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring crude oil from the Canadian oil sands region to U.S. refineries and has been stalled by the Obama administration over environmental concerns. "The production of all that pipeline will create jobs for Americans at a time when the jobs issue is still right upfront," Lugar said. "The consequence of not doing this is that the Canadians have said quite frankly that they are going to sell every bit of it to China. So it's going to reappear somewhere in the Earth's atmosphere, but in this case the Chinese would be the beneficiary and we would have lost a good bit of friendship with the close people up in Canada." As a former member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Lugar watched with interest the recent hearings held on the embassy attack in Benghazi, Libya, and the confirmation hearings of secretary of state nominee John Kerry and defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel, both his longtime colleagues in the Senate. In the case of Benghazi, the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens holds particular importance for Lugar. "He was one of my staff members six years ago or so. He had an internship of sorts with the Foreign Relations Committee a brilliant guy. So it was a personal loss." Lugar saw the Benghazi hearing, where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was grilled by Republican senators, as a continuation of the 2012 campaign, with Republicans hammering away at what they perceived as a vulnerability. "So after the campaign is over, everyone wants their due," he said. Lugar thought that too much of the focus in Hagel's confirmation hearing was about the former Nebraska Republican's past statements, and not enough about the topics relevant to national security. "In other words, what is the role of the Defense Department in the pivot in Asia? Or the setting up perhaps of a new base for drones in northern Africa? Or how soon should we come out of Afghanistan? Or what's happened in Iraq since we left there?" Lugar said rumors that the Nunn-Lugar nuclear reduction program would end were concerning to him. And he's gone to the Pentagon to get them "stirred up and moving ahead" on the project. For the Russians, Nunn-Lugar is a jobs issue and one they want to continue, he said. "This is something that is important to me. I think it's important to our country," he said. "I believe it's going to continue, but it's going to be an argument." In the fights ahead, Lugar has allies, including former Senate staff members, who remain loyal and committed to the cause. Andy Fisher, Lugar's communications director in the Senate, is helping get the new operation going and will continue as a consultant while operating his own public relations firm. Fisher says Lugar still has the energy and vitality to make his new endeavor a success. "He's always forward looking, always looking at what the future problems are," Fisher said. "He's been through these things before. He's always been a risk taker." INDIANAPOLIS A Senate Republican's plan to protect schools from consequences tied to poor student performance on the 2015 ISTEP standardized exam was endorsed Monday by Glenda Ritz, the Democratic state superintendent of public instruction. Senate Bill 200, sponsored by state Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, requires the State Board of Education to assign schools their 2013-14 A-F grades for the 2014-15 school year, unless a school earned a higher grade last year. Without the change, school grades are expected to drop significantly due to double-digit declines in the ISTEP passing rate, as Indiana transitions to a more difficult test associated with academic standards required by law to be "the highest standards in the United States." Ritz, who has been pushing for a "hold harmless" provision over the past 18 months, said she is pleased Kruse and other Statehouse leaders now are on board. "The current version of Senate Bill 200 is common sense legislation that allows schools time to adjust to our new standards and prevents unnecessary economic harm to our schools and communities," Ritz said."This bill has my strong support." School grades determine which school buildings and districts face accountability consequences, including potential takeover by the state. They also can affect local property values. The Kruse-led Senate Committee on Education and Career Development is set to review and possibly vote to approve the proposal at 12:30 p.m. Region time Wednesday. A separate school grades fix aimed at preserving teacher performance pay is expected to be considered by the Republican-controlled House early in the 10-week legislative session that begins Tuesday. In October, Republican Gov. Mike Pence reversed his longstanding opposition to a school accountability pause, but has not specifically said how he believes schools grades should be changed. The State Board of Education already has missed its Dec. 31 statutory deadline for assigning 2014-15 school grades. Kruse's legislation retroactively authorizes the board to still issue the grades. Officials in Nigeria say the death toll from this year's flooding has risen to 603. Authorities have called the floods the country's worst in more than a decade, blaming the disaster on unusually heavy rainfall and the release of excess water from the Lagdo dam in neighboring Cameroon. More than 1.3 million people have been displaced by the disaster, according to Nigeria's humanitarian affairs minister. Sadiya Umar Farouq is warning that five states are still at risk of experiencing floods up until the end of November. At least 340,000 hectares of land also have been affected, worsening fears of food supply disruptions. Lake-effect snow showers Monday morning caused problems on area expressways for about an hour before moving out of the Region. The snow began falling in Lake County just before 10 a.m. and quickly began causing problems on area roadways. Indiana State Police for the Lowell District said troopers responded to multiple, scattered slide-offs and spin-outs just before 10:30 a.m. One crash initially had all northbound lanes of Interstate 65 closed near Ridge Road. The lanes reopened by 11:15 a.m. but traffic in the area remained slow. Indiana State Police for the Toll Road said they had minimal slide-offs and spin-outs early Monday morning, particularly in LaPorte County and points east. The snow ended for much of region by 11 a.m., but some traffic issues continued to linger. LaPorte County was under a lake-effect snow advisory until noon. The forecast calls for drier weather through Wednesday night, with highs in the low to mid-30s. Thursday morning could bring a snow-sleet mix, changing over all rain by Thursday afternoon. Thursday's high is expected to reach 41 degrees. CROWN POINT A South Holland man is facing charges alleging he repeatedly kicked a Hammond woman in the head, strangled her and broke her phone when she tried to call 911. Travis Hamilton, 24, attacked the woman after showing up at her residence unannounced, according to Lake Criminal Court records. Hamilton is accused of asking to use the woman's phone and becoming enraged after looking at her call records. He entered her residence, punched and kicked her, threw her to the ground and told her she was going to die as he choked her, a court affidavit says. The woman tried to call 911, but Hamilton took her phone and smashed it, the affidavit says. The woman was able to leave after Hamilton went into another room, according to court records. She initially went to the Hammond Police Department and later was taken to Community Hospital in Munster. Hamilton was charged with two felony counts of criminal confinement, felony strangulation, and misdemeanor counts of domestic battery and interference with reporting of a crime. SCHERERVILLE A 49-year-old Crown Point man named as a suspect in his ex-wife's shooting death in Schererville was found dead Sunday at a cemetery in Calumet City, police said. The cause of Richard James Kalecki's death remained under investigation Sunday night but it appeared he committed suicide, said Robert Byrd, spokesman for the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force. Police said Kalecki was seen on surveillance video fatally shooting Alessandra De Moraes-Emiliano, 37, of Merrillville, in an attack at 12:20 p.m. Saturday at Edible Arrangements, a fruit gift shop, in the Lincoln Ridge Plaza in the 200 block of U.S. 30 in Schererville. Police on Saturday searched Kalecki's house in the 200 block of 127th Place in Crown Point but did not locate him or the murder weapon, Byrd said. Byrd did not immediately have information about whether any evidence was found in the house. Byrd characterized the shooting as domestic violence. Witnesses knew Kalecki because of prior encounters at Edible Arrangements, he said. Lake Superior Court records indicate Richard and Alessandra Kalecki divorced in 2012, months before the Lake County prosecutor's office charged him with three counts of child molesting and three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. Kalecki's trial in the molestation case was scheduled to begin in March. He faced a maximum 50-year sentence if convicted. The victim told authorities she was 13 when Kalecki began sexually abusing her in December 2010, after telling her he wanted to teach her about the "birds and the bees." Kalecki is alleged to have streamed pornographic videos on a laptop and also recorded his relations with the girl with a handheld camera, which he forced the girl to watch. The girl told authorities she was afraid of Kalecki, who threatened to kill her if she didn't go along with his wishes, court records state. If found out and jailed, Kalecki told the girl, "When I get out, I will hurt everyone who ratted me out, including you, and I will kill myself," court records state. According to court records, a medical doctor confirmed the girl exhibited signs of sexual abuse. The doctor reportedly considered the girl to be suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Kalecki is alleged to have repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl until March 2012, when a family member suspected abuse. Byrd said Sunday police were in contact with the girl and she was safe. Kaleckis death brings an end to the tragic domestic violence homicide investigation of Ms. De Moraes-Emiliano," Schererville Police Chief David Dowling said. "We have worked very closely with her entire family, and they have our deepest sympathies. LAPORTE | LaPorte County officials have agreed to close an airport runway and a state highway to bring back a week-long public display of powerful fireworks. The Pyrotechnics Guild International has scheduled LaPorte for its 2016 convention, but organization's decision to return was initially up in the air. Losing the convention would have meant a loss of million of dollars for the local economy "we don't normally get," said LaPorte County Commissioner Dave Decker. To make it happen, the convention will be relocated from the LaPorte County Fairgrounds, where tens of thousands attended in 2012, to a field across Ind. 2 from the fairgrounds. A recently opened work release center was built too close to the fireworks staging area, forcing the move. Decker said portable bleachers from the fairgrounds will be relocated to the new launching site. Members of the PGI will still camp and store their supplies at the fairgrounds. Ind. 2 will be closed during the convention as a precaution because fireworks and other explosives used to make fireworks on site will have to be moved across the two-lane highway to the new launching site due to state regulations. "The highway area has to be detoured around for us to make it reasonable for the explosives to cross that road," said Dan Creagan, president of the Lansing, Mich.-based PGI. The new site also is in the flight pattern for LaPorte Muncipal Airport along Ind. 39 and one of the runways will be closed while the fireworks are shot off. Planes will be redirected to the other remaining runaway, said Decker. Creagan said the adjustments, the positive response from the community to the last convention and LaPorte's desire to host it again were factors in coming back. "If they want us there and we want to get there we try to make it happen," said Creagan. No date has been set for the 2016 convention, but Creagan said it would be held sometime during the first half of August. VALPARAISO | A new shop has opened up downtown with a consignment plan with locals to promote region artists, writers and designers. Rusted Oak, a traditional, yet modern, men's clothier located at 19 Lincolnway, opened Nov. 23. It's primary goods are dress and casual wear in addition to custom top coats, suits, sweaters and shoes. The business also serves as a tuxedo rental shop for black tie events. But what really makes it stand out is the consignment plan, owner Robert Ordway said. "What makes us unique is our desire not only to serve men and their clothing needs but to serve greater Northwest Indiana," he said. "We believe in community building and that is done by partnerships with folks from all different backgrounds." On consignment Rusted Oak sells used Barrels from Journeyman Distillery, the "Union Made" book by Valparaiso History professor Heath Carter, "Pretty Raised Ugly" by Gary native Crystal O'Brien and "Gary is a Fish," a children's book with community building themes by Tyler Bush. "Right now we are moving toward more organic materials and have our own private label beard oil, soap, shampoo, lip balm that is handmade in Fairlane (Ind.)" Ordway said. Ordway, who was raised in Lake Station "in a union steelworker home," said outside of Wolverine work boots, clothing was the last thing they invested in. Ordway said he became interested in men's clothing during his undergrad years at Valparaiso University. "As a finance major, we had to dress for presentations as well as the career fairs," he said. "I didn't know what I was doing so in 2006, I started reading GQ and Esquire but it was too trendy and hard to understand." In 2009, Ordway read a book called "Dressing the Man" which explained the science behind color and pattern along with a history of how men's clothes came to be (mostly military or royalty inspired). He then started purchasing items from Brooks Brothers and took on a seasonal position there to rebuild his wardrobe. He also did seasonal work for JCrew. "Outside of a doctor, lawyer, accountant, financial adviser - I believe every man should have a clothier - someone to offer guidance for different occasions while helping them build a wardrobe that functions for their profession, interests and hobbies," Ordway said. Historically, Ordway said, women have been the main purchasers of clothing but that has changes significantly from Baby Boomers to Millennials. "Menswear has been outpacing womenswear in growth since 2009," Ordway said. "While the number of tailors is in steady decline, the demand for custom clothing and advice is steadily increasing." For more information visit www.rustedoak.co. Giving our children a better chance for success is something we should all agree is the right step for the future of Lake County. Preparing our youngest students to realize their full potential as they start their journey toward graduation is imperative. Educational achievement is perhaps the most effective way to ensure success in life. Lake Countys current high school graduation rate falls in the bottom 11% of the states average. Appropriately, Lake County was chosen as one of five counties to participate in a state-led effort to help support pre-kindergarten readiness programs and have our 4-year-old children enter school fully prepared. The need in Lake County is certainly significant. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration recently announced the following guidelines for eligibility: metro counties must have at least 10 providers, must have at least 300 children in need of early childhood services and these children must be classified as living in poverty. Lake County overwhelmingly aligns in having nearly 2,000 children meet these metrics. Indiana is strategically piloting this program and will ensure providers are accountable. As a benchmark, any provider accepting grants must be at least level three on the Paths To Quality, a statewide assessment tool aimed at making sure proper education is being delivered. Also, providers on this rating system must meet and maintain certain standards on an annual basis. This assures that children receiving this opportunity are participating in the best programs available. Alongside One Region, efforts from local professionals such as Kim Olesker, regional director for Early Childhood Initiatives for United Ways; Sandy Kauffman, president of Geminus; Robert Ennis, chief of staff for Chancellor Keon at Purdue Calumet, local providers and educators have also been working diligently to make this program a reality for Lake County. These partnerships are essential for Lake County to stay unified and work collaboratively on this extremely important project. Although the journey has just begun, the future is bright. In the coming months we will be working to meet the financial obligations of this program and to measure the vital data, information and outcomes to ensure this program is a monumental success. After all, 2,000 4-year-olds in our own back yard deserve it! U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ran headlong into the leftist meat grinder by questioning whether college admission of blacks with academic achievement levels significantly lower than the rest of the student body is beneficial to blacks. His question came up during oral arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas, wherein the court will rule whether the use of race in college admission decisions violates the 14th Amendment's guarantee of "equal protection of the laws" to all citizens. Scalia's questions generated news headlines such as "Justice Scalia Suggests Blacks Belong at 'Slower' Colleges," "Scalia questions place of some black students in elite colleges" and "Scalia and the misguided 'mismatch' theory." Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said, "It is deeply disturbing to hear a Supreme Court justice endorse racist ideas from the bench of the nation's highest court." The issue for black parents is not whether their sons and daughters should be admitted to an elite college or one that is lower-ranked. The issue is whether their sons and daughters should be admitted to a college where they would not be admitted if they were white. The question for black parents and black people is: Which better serves our interests a black student's being admitted to an elite college and winding up in the bottom of his class,or flunking out, or a black student's being admitted to a less prestigious college and performing just as well as his white peers? I would opt for a black student's doing well and graduating from a less prestigious college. Think of it this way. Suppose you asked, "Williams, would you teach my son how to box?" I say yes, and after your son wins a few amateur matches, I set him up with a match against an elite boxer like Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis. Your son may have the potential to be a world-class boxer, but he is going to get his brains beaten out and have his career ended before he learns how to bob and weave. It's the same with any student black or white. Pupils are less likely to succeed if they are placed in a fast-paced academic environment where their academic achievement levels do not begin to match those of their peers. Such students would have a greater chance of success in a slower-paced, less competitive environment, one more in tune with their preparation and where they might receive more personal help. My recommendation to black parents is: Do not enroll your children in a college where their SAT score is 200 or more points below the average of that college. Keep in mind that students are not qualified or unqualified in any absolute sense. The nation has more than 4,800 colleges, meaning there's a college for most anybody. There are beneficiaries from admitting black students with little chance of performing at the level of other students. They are college presidents, administrators and campus liberals. Whether blacks graduate or have been steered into useless "Mickey Mouse" courses is irrelevant. Government race overseers are only counting colors. College administrators win kudos for achieving and celebrating "diversity," not to mention the fact that they can keep government higher-education handouts. Another group of beneficiaries is composed of black staff and faculty who are hired and create campus fiefdoms with big budgets based on the presence of black students. The number of black students enrolled is the key, not the number who graduate or wind up in useless "Mickey Mouse" courses or in the bottom of their classes. In fact, there is an element of perversity. The greater the number of blacks who are on academic probation or do not graduate the more justified are calls for greater budgets for academic support and student retention programs. I have been asked: If elite colleges do not create lower admission standards, how are they going to have enough black students? My response is: That's their problem. Black people cannot afford to have our youngsters turned into failures in order to support the agendas of diversity race hustlers and to lessen the guilt of white liberals. In response to John Feaster, professor emeritus of English at Valparaiso University: Democrats owned Washington during President Barack Obama's first two years in office. Republicans couldn't stop Democrats. It might be a surprise to the professor and David Casson the Democrats didn't do much either. Nothing on gay marriage, abortion or immigration. They passed the buck to the federal courts. They did provide billions of dollars to Wall Street. Good for hedge fund managers, not much for the working poor. Twice the number of Americans were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in half the time of Bush's wars. Doubled the national debt and the number of people relying on food stamps. Ninety million people were not in the workforce, the lowest rate since Jimmy Carter. Democrats have lost almost 1,000 local, state and federal seats since 2010. The country is more divided now than any time since the Civil War. I believe Republicans are putting the country first. Rick Kellar, Valparaiso FORT WAYNE, Ind. In ushering a group of elderly people around, even those who survived the horrors of World War II, life's little indignities are bound to surface. It's a story that Bob Myer, president of Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, recalls with a smile and some affection. After landing at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., for one of the group's tours honoring military veterans, Myer was approached by a woman accompanying her father, one of the veterans on the trip. Incontinent, the elder man needed help in the restroom changing his pants. No problem. Myer responded, and the vet rejoined the group shortly. The same request came later as the group toured the military women's memorial. Myer again lent a hand. But this time the man wanted to assure Myer that his help was appreciated. "He said, 'You know, young man, I'm pretty impressed with the way you handled all that,' " Myer recalled. "He said, 'You did such a good job, if you ever run for political office, I'll definitely vote for you.' " It is a small aside among the many that have been shared by veterans and volunteers since Fort Wayne's first Honor Flight in 2009. The group, one of more than 130 nationwide that fly vets to Washington for a free one-day tour of monuments built in their honor, will make its 19th and 20th flights this spring. Myer, 68, has been with the group either as a volunteer or president since the third flight in 2010. He is an eager supporter, a 32-year Air National Guard veteran who used his connections to form a partnership between Honor Flight and Fort Wayne's guard base at Fort Wayne International Airport. Myer, who otherwise likes to hunt and fish in his spare time, coordinates a staff of 14 volunteers who spend hours poring over Honor Flight applications and making follow-up calls to vets and people paying to accompany them, often family members. About 1,160 veterans have taken the tour. "I wasn't out seeking anything," Myer recalled of his first contact with Honor Flight. "I just thought if I could find something, I was kind of interested in something to do with veterans." Myer comes from a military family. His dad and three uncles are World War II Navy veterans. A pilot with Fort Wayne's 122nd Fighter Wing beginning in 1971, Myer flew F-100s, F-4 Phantoms and F-16s. While not deployed to a war zone, Myer said he had a brush with death in 1982. Flying as an instructor in the back seat of an F-4 Phantom during training in Arizona, Myer said he was forced to eject when a fuel leak started a fire. The pilot didn't survive, Myer recalled. He shared the story this fall with Jerry Yellin, a fighter pilot who flew the final combat mission of World War II and who went on an October Honor Flight. The mechanics behind WWII ejections Yelling told Myer he had bailed out of a plane and those of modern aircraft helped connect the men over decades, Myer said. "Just to be able to tell stories like that and just be around the guy and listen to his stories I mean, that was unbelievable," Myer said Myer retired from the military in 2002. He has lived on Lake Tippecanoe in Kosciusko County since 2009. He was looking for volunteer work when a friend, who went on the first Northeast Indiana Honor Flight, told him about the group. Myer had never heard of it. Talking to another man going on the second flight reinforced the idea that "You need to talk to Laura and get involved," Myer said. Laura Carrico started Honor Flight Northeast Indiana to honor her father, a WWII veteran. Carrico, who now lives in Crown Point, said the group couldn't be in better hands. "Bob with his military background and his contacts at the base was able to get the airmen at the 122nd involved, and that organization just flourished under him," she said. The program, with four flights a year, has progressed from a small plane carrying 50 people to a 186-passenger jetliner. Eighty-six vets fly free; 86 guardians pay $400 to go with them. With each flight costing $65,000, community support has been tremendous, Myer said. Several individuals and groups give money. "It is unbelievable how the community organizations have gotten together to support us," Myer said. "We plan on being in existence for several years. We're excited about getting through the Korean vets and getting into the Vietnam-era vets. So if you need $1 million to do four years, that's a lot of money to raise." Preparations for flights in April and May began Dec. 3. Myer said he spends about 20 hours a week on Honor Flight preparation during the busiest months leading to a flight. He said his wife, Sandie, works even more hours on the flights. Applications, found at www.hfnei.org, are scrutinized, with WWII veterans given priority. Myer and other volunteers spend about eight nights, three hours each night, calling applicants to verify information. There are follow-up calls Myer and his wife handle. There are cancellations and seating adjustments that need attention. There are orientation meetings to coordinate for guardian volunteers. Four tour buses in Washington are scheduled to drive from the airport to tour destinations and back. A motorcycle security escort was recently added to hurry things along. Vets and their guardians are provided two meals during the day. A doctor is on every flight to attend to medical issues. Myer's admiration for the men and women in uniform is obvious. Volunteering for Honor Flight Northeast Indiana is his way of paying them back. "Just showing them the respect and giving them the opportunity to see that WWII memorial, which took almost 60 years to build," he said. "Just being involved in that whole process. And to tell you the truth, just being around those guys and hearing their stories and the gratefulness they show us and the humility." He said he would continue holding a daily news conference; on Saturday, it drew one reporter and one photographer, so Mr. Bundy used the time to officiate at what was in effect a town meeting with supporters, discussing, in a long, loping discourse, the prevalence of abortion, the abuses of welfare and his views on race. I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro, he said. Mr. Bundy recalled driving past a public-housing project in North Las Vegas, and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids and there is always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch they didnt have nothing to do. They didnt have nothing for their kids to do. They didnt have nothing for their young girls to do. And because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do? he asked. They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And Ive often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didnt get no more freedom. They got less freedom. A spokesman for Mr. Paul, informed of Mr. Bundys remarks, said the senator was not available for immediate comment. Chandler Smith, a spokesman for Mr. Heller, said that the senator completely disagrees with Mr. Bundys appalling and racist statements, and condemns them in the most strenuous way. A spokeswoman for Mr. Abbott, Laura Bean, said that the letter he wrote was regarding a dispute in Texas and is in no way related to the dispute in Nevada. The crowds may be beginning to dwindle, but for much of the past two weeks, here at Mr. Bundys ranch in Bunkerville, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, the rancher has been a celebrity, drawing hundreds of supporters, including dozens of militia members, many carrying sidearms, and members of Oath Keepers, a militia group, who have embraced him as a symbol of their anger and a bulwark against federal abuse. PARIS The police organized an enormous manhunt across the Paris region on Wednesday for three suspects they said were involved in a brazen and methodical midday slaughter at a satirical newspaper that had lampooned Islam. The terrorist attack by masked gunmen on the newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, left 12 people dead including the top editor, prominent cartoonists and police officers and was among the deadliest in postwar France. The killers escaped, traumatizing the city and sending shock waves through Europe and beyond. Officials said late Wednesday that two of the suspects were brothers. They were identified as Said and Cherif Kouachi, 34 and 32. The third suspect is Hamyd Mourad, 18. News reports said the brothers, known to intelligence services, had been born in Paris, raising the prospect that homegrown Muslim extremists were responsible. Plenty of restaurants draw a crowd, not because of their cuisine but because of their star-studded clientele. At trendy Bang in the Surry Hills neighborhood of Sydney, a message atop the menu announces that the place is a favourite of celebrities. But that does not mean diners are in for great people-watching at the risk of a lackluster meal. The line is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, said Nicholas Gurney, who opened the restaurant last January with Tapos Singha, its chef, who is a Bangladesh native. Since its not the sort of place where celebrities flock, we thought it was funny. Lucky for these two, noncelebrities have flocked for the real attraction: the A-list dishes put out by Mr. Singha that celebrate the street food of his youth. He always adds a twist, as in his favorite, inspired by the spicy omelets he ate as a child: a duck egg version with blue swimmer crabs, green chiles, grape tomatoes and garlic chives. Or a wagyu tri-tip curry with chive flowers and shatkora. The rind of that last ingredient, a citrus fruit from Bangladesh, gives the dish a slightly sour flavor. Staff uniforms are equally distinctive. In Sydney, the trend is for waiters to wear white T-shirts and neutral aprons, Mr. Gurney said. But we wanted to counter that with a more unique look. Eight years ago, Laurie Anderson recalled in an interview, she was backstage with the cellist Yo-Yo Ma at a Rhode Island School of Design graduation ceremony when she turned to him and said, I have this fantasy where I look out, and the whole audience is dogs. He replied: Are you kidding? I have the same fantasy. Ms. Anderson, the performance artist known for incorporating new technology into her work, got her wish two years later. She and friends put on a concert for hundreds of dogs outside the Sydney Opera House, with the music emitted from speakers at a low, dog-friendly frequency. (She didnt want to risk shocking the dogs with a high frequency.) At the end, they began to bark even the droolers in the front row. It was a beautiful sound, she said. They barked for five minutes. That was one of the happiest moments of my life. Until now, Ms. Anderson has not had an opportunity to repeat the scale and sensation of that concert in Australia. But at 11:30 p.m. on Monday, she will get that chance: Dogs and their owners are invited to sit on the red steps of Duffy Square while she performs music that, to passers-by in Times Square, may not sound like much because of the low frequency. Humans can tune in with wireless headphones there are 350 total that will be given out beforehand. The occasion is the January edition of Midnight Moment, a series in which many Times Square billboards become a digital art gallery, if only for three minutes. The series, presented by Times Square Arts and the Times Square Advertising Coalition, has in the past included works by Andy Warhol, Bjork and Yoko Ono. Ms. Andersons contribution is a three-minute cut of her documentary Heart of a Dog a poetic visual essay about, among other things, the journey from life to the afterlife. In 1990, hip-hop was a subculture striving to breach the mainstream without losing its soul. The music had matured at breakneck speed in the 1980s. Rappers pushed past boasts and chants with storytelling, complex wordplay and sociopolitical consciousness, as producers vastly extended the sound-collage possibilities of sampling. Yo! MTV Raps, which started in 1988, was expanding the hip-hop audience beyond its urban core, and MC Hammer had a worldwide hit with U Cant Touch This. But at the same time the crack epidemic was closing down the New York City clubs that had been hip-hop laboratories, while radio stations still resisted hip-hops genuine innovators and major labels considered hip-hop a novelty that would run its course. Everyone involved was inventing the music and the business on the spot. Thats the backdrop for The Breaks, a TV movie produced by VH1 that has its premiere on Monday. Its an affectionate, determinedly credible period piece with lightly fictionalized versions of people and places from the era. Its also what one of its executive producers, the journalist and author Dan Charnas, describes as a backdoor pilot, a two-hour film introducing characters and plotlines that, if well received, could be the basis for a continuing series. VH1 will make that decision after the premiere. Within a week we should probably have a good idea of whether it goes forward or not, Seith Mann, its screenwriter and director, said. The Breaks arrives after and perhaps catches momentum from two flashier hip-hop narratives: Empire, the bling-laden hip-hop soap opera on Fox, and Straight Outta Compton, the hugely profitable biopic about the West Coast gangsta rappers N. W. A. Mr. Mann has directed episodes of The Wire, Homeland, Friday Night Lights and Californication. The story is by Mr. Mann and Mr. Charnas, and is loosely derived from Mr. Charnass authoritative, extensively researched 2010 book, The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop. Some of Mr. Charnass souvenirs of the era, like a jacket from Profile Records (where he worked) and an E-mu SP-1200 sampler, show up on screen. We were meticulous about constructing this world, Mr. Charnas said by telephone. Gene Luen Yang often mines his life for his graphic novels. He has explored being a second-generation American, and harnessed his love of computer programming. Starting this week, he will have a whole new experience to draw on. On Monday, the Library of Congress is to name Mr. Yang the national ambassador for young peoples literature, the first graphic novelist to be so honored since the post was created in 2008. When I was coming up in the 90s, the comic book industry and the book industry were largely separate they had their own awards, distribution systems and stores, Mr. Yang said in a telephone interview from his home in San Jose, Calif. But now, these worlds are really converging in interesting ways. Mr. Yangs stories leapfrog genres and often pose questions about acceptance, identity and culture. Perhaps his best-known graphic novel is American Born Chinese, about Jin Wang, a boy who has trouble fitting in when he moves to a new school in the suburbs. The New York Times greeted the book as a dark exploration of Asian-American adolescence that blends two cultures in inventive, unexpected ways. Sam Sifton emails readers of Cooking five days a week to talk about food and suggest recipes. That email also appears here. To receive it in your inbox, register here. Good morning. Julia Moskin has a new guide to cooking eggs up on Cooking, and its super smart and helpful, with terrific videos illustrating the kitchen techniques she champions. And the recipes! How about some soft-boiled eggs with watercress and walnut ricotta crostini for dinner one night this week? Or poached eggs with yogurt and mint? Scrambled eggs with bay scallops and bacon? Olive-oil fried eggs on top of polenta with Parmesan? Eggs with baked flounder? At the very least you could poach a couple of eggs and slide them onto a country salad, and make like a Jay McInerney character, circa 1984. We are the eggmen (and eggwomen: goo goo gjoob)! But perhaps you dont eat eggs. Have you made this recipe for roasted squash salad yet? I scored it from Adam Baumgart, the chef who serves it at his Houseman restaurant in New York. It is ridiculously flavorful and easy, and makes for a delicious dinner when paired with good bread and some simply braised greens. Mr. Carozza, who was born in Italy, moved from Argentina to New York in the 1960s to be part of the citys thriving music scene. He went to work in an accordion store on 48th Street and eventually opened his own shop on the block. Not long after, Rudy Pensa left Argentina to pursue his dream of finding a place for himself on Music Row. Everyone who was coming to America was coming to 48th Street, he recalled. Every band I was really watching and reading about, you found out they were coming to this place called 48th Street. In 1972, he arrived and looked up Mr. Carozza, who hired him. I came with a hundred bucks and a guitar, Mr. Pensa said. Before long, Mr. Pensa was on his way to being a purveyor of guitars to the stars. He opened his own shop, which came to be known as Rudys, in the 1970s. He kept it going for four decades until rising rent and a growing downtown clientele spurred him to leave the block for good in August. Still, Mr. Pensa, 66, remains wistful about the object of his childhood daydreams. It was a big family there, he said. I used to know everyone. It was really beautiful, man. It took no prodding to get Mr. Pensa to wax nostalgic about Music Row. It was an experience, he said. You would go store to store. It was beautiful because everybody had different things. Image Credit... Ramsay de Give for The New York Times Tourists and wide-eyed teenagers would wander the block hoping for a brush, or at least a glimpse, of a famous musician. They traded tales of spotting Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townshend and other rock stars ordering instruments for their next tours. Thomas Torres was told he would not amount to much even before he learned at age 13 that he had schizophrenia. His brother called him slow, classmates called him retarded, and he was teased relentlessly. I was always surrounded by naysayers who said I cant succeed, he said. Mr. Torres, 35, had hallucinations, usually of male voices mocking him, and bouts of anger that would sometimes compel him to punch himself in the head. Through medication and therapy, Mr. Torres learned to manage the illness but struggled with clinical depression that made him feel alone and empty. Mr. Torres lives with his mother in public housing in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. As he was growing up, the neighborhood was dangerous, but Mr. Torres managed to stay out of major trouble by heeding his mothers exhortations to stay clear of drugs. (His only brush with the law was for jumping a subway turnstile.) He spent time on video games, cartoons and sports. But feelings of depression and isolation enveloped him and he dropped out of high school when he was 18. He had accumulated the credits of a freshman, although, at his age, he should have been a senior. A 19-year-old woman was killed on New Years Day, discovered face down in her bedroom in Queens, the police said; her death is the first homicide in New York City in 2016. The woman, Joceline Romo, was beaten in the face, Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said on Sunday. Ms. Romo was killed by homicidal violence, she added, including blunt force trauma of head and compression of neck. No arrests have been made in Ms. Romos death. Her boyfriend, whose name the police did not release, was in custody and undergoing a psychological evaluation in a hospital, according to a person who requested anonymity because the investigation was continuing. On the block in Woodhaven where Ms. Romo lived, few neighbors knew her, but they were stunned by the news of her death. The timing, they said, seemed to underscore the tragedy. To the Editor: Re Real Victims in the Victimhood (Sunday Review, Dec. 27): Arthur C. Brooks is looking at the wrong end of the equation. The reason we have an epidemic of victims is that we have become a nation of abusers. Our role models in government, sports, law and business show great glee in beating up their competitors. Our sitcom laughs are mostly put-downs. And snark rules the Internet. When our news media and political discourse are filled with gloating and manipulation, the message is dominate or be dominated. Where bullies rule, victims follow. Calling them victims of their own victimhood is only heaping on more abuse. BILL WEBER Los Angeles To the Editor: When corporate moguls and hedge fund magnates lobby for tax breaks (By Molding Tax System, Wealthiest Save Billions, front page, Dec. 30), we do not call it the culture of complaint or the celebration of victimhood. We call it an exercise of First Amendment rights. To the Editor: Re Dying Alone in Prison (Op-Ed, Dec. 28): Dr. Rachael Bedards essay about compassionate release of prisoners raises the fundamental question that the American citizenry has not answered: What is the purpose of incarceration? It would seem from the case of her patient that it is clearly not rehabilitation or public safety, that it must be punishment. But should it be punishment above all, even if it erodes our decency, humanity and even the public good? We should explore dramatically expanding compassionate release for all prisoners with significant medical conditions who do not pose a public safety risk, not just those at the very end of their lives. JOSIAH D. RICH Providence, R.I. The writer, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Brown University, is director of the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights at the Miriam Hospital. The reform plan reclassified simple drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor and eliminated mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug possession. It expedited parole hearings for people convicted of nonviolent crimes and simplified the pardon process. The state Legislature approved the package in June with bipartisan support. It also passed a bill Mr. Malloy had pushed to increase police accountability by providing all troopers with body cameras, recruiting more minority officers, and assigning independent investigators to cases where the police use deadly force. In November, Mr. Malloy announced a new set of reforms to the juvenile justice system. He proposed that Connecticut become the first state in the country to raise the age of adult criminal responsibility to 21 from 18 for all but the most serious crimes. He pointed out that most people aged 18, 19 and 20, who would be sent to the juvenile system under the plan, are arrested on misdemeanor charges. He called for a separate facility to house inmates 25 and younger, citing new research on brain development. He is also tackling the states unfair bail system, which keeps people awaiting trial locked up simply for lack of a few hundred dollars. In those cases, Mr. Malloy said, releasing low-risk defendants to community supervision would be more just and more cost-effective. The Legislature will consider these proposals in its 2016 session. Crucially, Mr. Malloy himself a former prosecutor and defense lawyer has the support of key figures in law enforcement. His new correction commissioner, Scott Semple, is moving quickly to convert former prisons into reintegration centers that fight recidivism by providing drug counseling, job training and other services to inmates returning to society. Will any of this work? Its still too early to know the effect of many of the recent reforms, but earlier efforts are already paying off. For example, after lawmakers raised the age of adult criminal responsibility to 18 from 16, the number of people between 18 and 21 behind bars dropped by more than half. Overall, crime in Connecticut is at a 48-year low, and falling faster than almost anywhere in the country. The states prison population is under 15,600, down from nearly 20,000 in 2008, allowing for the closing of three prisons so far. You have to be seriously geeky to get excited when the Internal Revenue Service releases a new batch of statistics. Well, Im a big geek; like quite a few other people who work on policy issues, I was eagerly awaiting the I.R.S.s tax tables for 2013, which were released last week. And what these tables show is that elections really do have consequences. You might think that this is obvious. But on the left, in particular, there are some people who, disappointed by the limits of what President Obama has accomplished, minimize the differences between the parties. Whoever the next president is, they assert or at least, whoever it is if its not Bernie Sanders things will remain pretty much the same, with the wealthy continuing to dominate the scene. And its true that if you were expecting Mr. Obama to preside over a complete transformation of Americas political and economic scene, what hes actually achieved can seem like a big letdown. But the truth is that Mr. Obamas election in 2008 and re-election in 2012 had some real, quantifiable consequences. Which brings me to those I.R.S. tables. For one of the important consequences of the 2012 election was that Mr. Obama was able to go through with a significant rise in taxes on high incomes. Partly this was achieved by allowing the upper end of the Bush tax cuts to expire; there were also new taxes on high incomes passed along with the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare. Leonard Stricklands barbaric and unnecessary death at the hands of prison guards at the Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York highlights the need for independent oversight of the states prisons. His beating in 2010, the details of which have only recently come to light, is the latest in a long list of instances of brutality toward inmates in New Yorks prison system. The states inhumane practices involving solitary confinement have also generated outrage. Thousands of prisoners have been held in extreme isolation, in some cases for years, and often for minor rule violations, at great cost to their mental health and potential for rehabilitation. A settlement announced last month of a lawsuit brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union will reduce both the number of inmates held in isolation and the maximum stay, and will abolish some of the harshest conditions. While this is a welcome move, it provides for only two years of monitoring once it has been implemented and does not address the many issues that affect inmate health and safety for the overwhelming number not in solitary confinement. This is why additional governmental oversight is urgently needed to truly change the culture of a system that holds 53,000 inmates across 54 prisons. What goes on inside these prisons is largely hidden from view, and there is little accountability for wrongdoing. Pop quiz: Who plays the title role in the new Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof? Not Danny Burstein, though he gets top billing as Tevye, the dairyman and father at the heart of the musical. But he is only a fiddler in the metaphorical sense of all the villagers of Anatevka, trying to scratch out a simple tune without breaking his neck. There are really two artists who can lay claim to the title role: Jesse Kovarsky, the dancer who strikes Chagall-worthy poses onstage while playing the violin version of air guitar; and Kelly Hall-Tompkins, the versatile violinist who makes the music come alive in the orchestra pit. Kelly is the Fiddler on Broadway! read an email she sent to friends after landing the gig as the orchestras concertmaster, who plays all the solos. It is, needless to say, a juicy musical for a violinist. I was thrilled to be able to bring my own voice to this, said Ms. Hall-Tompkins, a soloist and chamber musician who is well known in New York music circles but is playing on Broadway for the first time. Theres a lot of virtuosic violin schmaltz, and opportunity for just gutsy, beautiful sounds. John Holm, a linguist who helped bring the study of creole and pidgin languages into the scholarly mainstream, died on Dec. 28 in Azeitao, Portugal. He was 72. The cause was prostate cancer, his husband, Michael Pye, said. While hitchhiking through Mexico and Central America as a teenager, Mr. Holm heard black Nicaraguans along the Caribbean coast speaking a non-Spanish language that seemed oddly familiar. They called it pirate English, a reference to its probable origin as a pidgin spoken on pirate and British Navy ships. Although Mr. Holm could barely understand what he was hearing, it planted the seed for what would become his lifes work: the study of creole and pidgin languages spoken by millions of people around the world, especially the English-derived creoles of the Caribbean. A pidgin is a reduced language used by groups with no language in common who need to communicate for trade or other purposes. A creole, by contrast, is a natural language developed from a mixture of different languages, like Haitian Creole, which is based on 18th-century French but absorbed elements of Portuguese, Spanish and West African languages. Semi-creole languages, which Mr. Holm also studied Afrikaans is an example share even more traits with their vocabulary-source languages. ALGIERS Hocine Ait-Ahmed, a leader of the Algerian war of independence against France that began in 1954 and a major opponent of the Algerian governments dominated by the military since then, died on Dec. 23 in Lausanne, Switzerland. He was 89. His death was reported by the state news agency, the Algerian Press Service. Though he spent decades in exile in Switzerland, Mr. Ait-Ahmed remained an influential figure in Algerian politics, pushing for democracy and opposing successive governments. Of Berber origin, he came from Kabylia, a fiercely independent mountainous region in northeastern Algeria that was the first to resist French rule and remains restive to this day. Mr. Ait-Ahmed was in high school when he first entered politics as a member of the nationalist Algerian Peoples Party, which had been banned by French authorities. He was a founder of the Special Organization in 1947, a group that became the nucleus of the National Liberation Front, or F.L.N., which unified nationalist factions and led the struggle against the French. HAIFA, Israel At Elika, a bar in the Hadar neighborhood of this hilly port city, a 30-something psychodramatist rolled a cigarette and sipped coffee with her father, a well-known actor in Israel. The bartender poured tall beers for two women who wandered in for an afternoon pint. Nearby, a 22-year-old woman with a partly shaved head and colorful tattoos sat alone, working on her laptop. They were among the many coifed, pierced and tattooed women and men who populate a slice of Haifas social scene that resembles that of the well-heeled hipsters of Tel Aviv. But here the cool kids are Palestinians, and they have unfurled a self-consciously Arab milieu that is secular, feminist and gay-friendly. Haifa is a center for Arabs, like Tel Aviv is a center for Jews, said Asil Abu Wardeh, the Elika patron who practices a performance-based form of psychotherapy. There is a cultural movement. There is a youth movement. Theres a kind of freedom here. We have our own parties. Our own places. Our own discos. We dance. We drink. We do it all in Arabic, she added. This all began in Haifa. Fidelity, one of the few credit card issuers that reward cardholders with a lucrative 2 percent in cash back on every dollar they spend, is making changes to its program. But even as other credit card issuers have cut back rewards, Fidelitys cardholders need not fear: The generous rewards system will remain intact. Instead, Fidelity is ending a 12-year partnership with American Express, and will offer Visa-branded cards through U.S. Bank. The company said it believed that the new Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature card would be attractive to a wider group of people, including the coveted millennial generation, generally viewed as people born from about 1980 through the 90s. Visa cards are more broadly accepted by merchants than American Express cards, which was one of the big drivers behind the change. We think usage of the card will go up, which will help build customer relationships, said Ram Subramaniam, president of Fidelitys retail brokerage business. Its a key value add-on to what we bring to the customer. The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed! ISTANBUL As an increasingly conservative Turkey grapples with questions of free expression, it might seem to be a risky time for an exhibition examining how Turkish artists fought cultural restrictions a century ago in order to paint the nude figure. The show, Bare, Naked, Nude: A Story of Modernization in Turkish Painting, at the Pera Museum here until Feb. 7, examines how the genre of the nude emerged from behind studio curtains in the transition from Ottoman rule to a new republican state. At the Pera, early anatomical studies of men by male artists, and of women by female artists, are set against more stylized, later depictions like Hamam, a 1952 gouache on paper by Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu that shows a female form cocooned inside a structure with domes and minarets. The evolving acceptance of the nude figure in Turkish art reflected the countrys wider aspirations, the exhibitions curator, Ahu Antmen, said in an interview at the museum. It was very important at the time for Turkey to show it had become a secular, modernized nation-state, she said. Commissioned jointly as part of a series by Phyllis Lambert, the architect and Seagram heiress, and the architect Gene R. Summers for their art-infused renovation of the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, the Dine mirror is decorated with plaster casts of construction tools, among them a pair of shears and a hatchet. Guests were taken aback: Try sleeping with that over your head, a visiting pharmaceuticals executive told The Los Angeles Times after the hotel was sold in 1984. The mirror found its way to the Cooper Hewitt not long after hatchet and all. In any case, individual objects are not the point. Its an immersive environment, Mr. Browne said. Each object is important, but for me, I like it to be a total experience. I do the same thing with my shows. Of course, I want people to appreciate each piece, but the overall image is initially what I want people to be hit with. The Cooper Hewitt experience will include not only the reflective wallpaper, donated for the occasion by the London fabric firm Osborne & Little, but also several items from Mr. Brownes studio, among them 60 pairs of silver-plated Thom Browne brogues and a vintage silver-plated Steelcase desk that weighs in at 400 pounds. The whole of it will be presented in a room-within-a-room to be constructed in the museums Marks Gallery, as the rather froufrou music room of this 1902 Andrew Carnegie mansion is now known. Gianandrea Noseda, an Italian conductor whose international career has recently taken off, has accepted his first major post with an American orchestra. He will be the next music director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, the orchestra announced on Monday. Mr. Noseda has elevated the reputation of the Teatro Regio Torino, the opera company he has led since 2007, through tours and recordings; conducted high-profile productions at the Metropolitan Opera; and wielded the baton before top orchestras around the world. He will succeed Christoph Eschenbach, who is currently in his sixth season in Washington. In an interview, Mr. Noseda said that one of his goals with the National Symphony would be to create a kind of feeling of surprise, adding that its performances should retain a sense of wonder for audiences and performers, like a child who sees the sea for the first time in his life. I think that is the element we should never forget when we are performing, he said by telephone. Mr. Noseda is currently conducting the well-received new production of Bizets Les Pecheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers) at the Metropolitan Opera. Gustave Flaubert the subject of Julian Barness magical novel-biography-meditation, Flauberts Parrot argued that great paintings required no words of explanation. But as Mr. Barnes writes in Keeping an Eye Open, an illuminating new collection of essays on art, we remain incorrigibly verbal creatures who love to explain things put us in front of a picture and we chatter, each in our different way. Mr. Barnes, not surprisingly, chatters like the gifted novelist he is, using his eye for the telling detail, his narrative intuition and his understanding of the creative process to help us see familiar artists like Degas, Braque and Magritte afresh, and to appreciate the work of lesser-known masters as well the beautifully harmonic interiors of Edouard Vuillard; the stylized, psychologically intense portraits of men and women in Felix Vallottons Nabi-period canvases, and Howard Hodgkins hot, often scorched use of color. Mr. Barnes writes with an easy understanding of the tension between life and art and the strange alchemy of imagination; he also conveys an appreciation of artists technique, as it has been learned from predecessors and developed through experimentation and serendipity. He effortlessly situates a masterwork in the context of its creators career, and that career within the larger arc of art history all, with a light but authoritative hand. Image The Anabaptists: Pierre Bonnard by Edouard Vuillard, from 1935; Musee dArt Moderne de la Ville de Paris. Credit... Roger-Viollet/Bridgeman Images While he warns of the hazards of allowing biographical gossip to affect our interpretation of artworks, hes also deft at unraveling the ways in which artists temperaments can inform vision and style. He contrasts the work of the arrogant, dominating Picasso to the calm, almost Zen-like paintings of Braque; and he suggests a connection between Lucian Freuds careless, incorrigibly unfaithful life running through scores of lovers and fathering at least 14 children and what he describes as a cold and ruthless quality to his paintings of women. The government files insider trading charges with much fanfare, declaring that the traders will be brought to justice and investors protected. But it is often years before the cases ever reach a courtroom, and a change in the law in December 2014 is making it more difficult for the Securities and Exchange Commission to prove violations in two cases that will start in the new year. In the first case, filed in 2013, the S.E.C. brought an administrative charge against Steven A. Cohen over his failure to supervise two employees accused of engaging in insider trading at his hedge fund firm, SAC Capital Advisors. This came after the firm settled criminal charges by paying a $1.2 billion penalty and withdrawing from the management of outside money, leading to its change to a family office operating under the name Point72 Asset Management. The S.E.C. wants to bar Mr. Cohen from acting as an investment adviser for failing to properly supervise Mathew Martoma and Michael Steinberg, portfolio managers at SAC who were indicted on charges of trading on nonpublic information on behalf of the firm. Juries convicted both men in separate trials, with Mr. Martomas case involving what the government asserted was the largest amount ever involved in insider trading, totaling nearly $275 million in gains and losses avoided. The administrative proceeding was postponed until the criminal cases were wrapped up. Appeals to conscience and civic duty or a reminder of the public good that taxes makes possible are not nearly as effective as the threat of detection and punishment in reducing evasion. Poor enforcement encourages people to cheat. If people think theyre not going to get caught if they cheat, or theyre just fed up because they cant get the help they need from us to file their taxes, the system will be put at risk, and voluntary compliance is likely to suffer, the I.R.S. commissioner John Koskinen told a conference of accountants last month. When you have fewer employees doing compliance work, you end up leaving tax revenue on the table, Mr. Koskinen added, explaining how budget cuts have damaged the agency and cost the government at least $20 billion over the last five years. Americans acknowledge as much. While people surveyed overwhelmingly say they believe everyone has a responsibility to pay their fair share, a majority admit that it is fear of an audit or third-party reporting that ultimately spurs them to hand over the money. Still, there is some striking evidence that the rich are different: They are more tempted to push back against the government. In a classic study, Joel Slemrod, a tax expert at the University of Michigan, found that the amount of reported income increased among low- and middle-income individuals after they were told their returns would be closely examined. Higher-income individuals had the opposite reaction their reported income went down. The results, Mr. Slemrod suggested, may be explained by the resources available to the wealthy. Backed by an array of legal and accounting experts, the rich view the early warning of an audit as just an opening gambit by the I.R.S. They talk to their accountant, and he says, Calm down, its a negotiation, Mr. Slemrod said. And so they respond in turn with a lowball offer of payment. Mr. Slemrod said that what distinguishes the latest wave of research are the field experiments, a version of studying animals in the wild instead of in the laboratory. For example, researchers in the United States and elsewhere have sent different taxpayers different notices, comparing a warning that they have a 50-50 shot of being audited with one that says an audit is a certainty. LONDON Oil prices quickly gave back early gains to close lower on Monday after investor concerns about Middle East tensions gave way to a continued focus on weaknesses in global economies. Earlier in the day, a growing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran worried investors, sending oil prices higher during the European trading day. In the past, a flare-up in the Middle East could send oil prices soaring, but investors these days seem mainly focused on a global glut of petroleum. With so much oil on the world market, even the biggest producer Saudi Arabia has only a limited ability to affect prices. The moderate price reaction to a feud between two of the worlds major oil producers shows how much the dynamics of the oil market have changed in the last two years. When Honda Motor Company said two months ago that it would no longer use Takata as supplier of its airbags, the automaker said that testing data on the airbags had been misrepresented and manipulated. Now, newly obtained internal emails suggest the manipulation was both bold and broad, involving open exchanges among Takata employees in Japan and the United States. Happy Manipulating!!! a Takata airbag engineer, Bob Schubert, wrote in one email dated July 6, 2006, in a reference to results of airbag tests. In another, he wrote of changing the colors or lines in a graphic to divert attention from the test results and to try to dress it up. The emails were among documents unsealed recently as part of a personal injury lawsuit against Takata and obtained by The New York Times. Takata said in a statement that the exchanges concerned only the formatting of data and were unrelated to defective airbags that are under recall. Now, each has a one-bedroom independent living apartment on the first floor. Mr. Geiwitz often meets newcomers roughly his age who are scoping out the place for their parents. They look at me strangely, he said. But to me, this is the future. You can see his reasoning. In yet another consequence of lengthening life spans, the adult children trying to care for people in their late 80s and 90s are likely to be approaching 70 themselves, or beyond it. They may be wearying of housekeeping and home maintenance just at the point when their parents need more help. Caregivers over age 75 spend 34 hours a week assisting their elders, a study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP Public Policy Institute reported last year. Across the country, about 1,925 continuing care retirement communities in which residents can go from independent living to assisted living to a nursing home as their needs mount house roughly 750,000 people, said Steve Maag, director of residential communities for LeadingAge, an industry association for nonprofit senior service providers. Eighty percent are nonprofits. So far as he and other industry experts know, very few adult children have moved into their parents communities. But it wouldnt surprise me to see more of it, he said. In less expensive regions, a continuing care community could offer a mix of proximity and privacy, and provide the greater levels of care that most older adults of both generations will eventually need. The awards race resumes with a gallop this week, with campaigners shoehorning celebrity-drenched brunches, lunches, dinners, cocktail hours and teas (whats left interpretive dance?) into the narrowing window preceding the Oscar nominations on Jan. 14. After the official contenders are announced, such flagrant currying is verboten. The New York Film Critics Circle awards dinner is on Monday, as are a dinner starring the stars of Creed, teas for both Mad Max: Fury Road and Brooklyn, and a lunch for Spotlight. The National Board of Reviews ceremony (winners were announced already) is Tuesday, following a brunch for The Hateful Eight, a lunch for The Big Short and a tea for The Martian. Wednesday theres a tea for Meru. (The Baggers probably forgetting something, but what?) Thursday everyones toddling off to Los Angeles for W Magazines cant-be-missed Golden Globes soiree at the Chateau Marmont. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts tea party is Saturday in Beverly Hills and the Globes are on Sunday. Sound frenzied? It is! Like overkill? But of course! Over the weekend the National Society of Film Critics these are highbrow folks, folks, at least if their Wikipedia page is to be believed weighed in on matters with its top picks of the year. Nice surprise: Michael B. Jordan won for best actor for his performance in Creed. This isnt necessarily predictive of the big O: last year the group chose Timothy Spall for Mr. Turner and he didnt get an Oscar nomination. In other categories: Charlotte Rampling nabbed best actress for 45 Years; Todd Haynes took best director, for Carol; and Spotlight landed best picture. With the exception of Mr. Jordan, all have strong shots at Oscar nominations. Lastly, most late or later-breaking Oscar aspirants continue to perform well, box-office-wise. According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, Joy is sitting at about $38.7 million, The Hateful Eight at $29.5 million, and The Revenant, which is only in four theaters at the moment, at around $1.3 million; all three films opened on Christmas. The Big Short, which opened Dec. 11, has made about $32.9 million so far. Shortly before midnight on Monday, Ms. Garcia appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court, where prosecutors read the charges against her. They said she had acted in concert with another individual to shoot and stab her mother and her mothers boyfriend. Prosecutors said the boyfriend had been stabbed 30 times, adding that Ms. Garcia had made a videotaped confession. A judge ordered her held without bail, over her lawyers objections. Chief Boyce said that Ms. Garcia had told detectives that her mother was abusive, physically abusive, to her in the past, but Chief Boyce said that we dont believe that this is at all, initially, an act of self-defense.Mr. Boyce said the investigation is focused on whether other people were in the apartment with the teenager, and on the origins of the gun used in the killings. The police were alerted to the murders when a man approached a squad car near the building to report that he had passed the apartment and seen that the door was ajar. Police officers declared the two victims dead at the scene. The double homicide brought the preliminary count of murders last year to 350, up from 333 the year before, officials said. Neighbors in the Sheepshead Bay neighborhood were left reeling at the killings and the charges against the female victims daughter, saying the family had seemed happy and lively. Continuing a push for the payment of higher wages for public-sector jobs, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York announced a plan on Monday to raise the minimum wage for state university workers to $15. Mr. Cuomos action was the latest to address what he sees as subpar wages: He used a state wage board to increase hourly pay to $15 for fast-food workers last summer and unveiled a similar plan for an estimated 10,000 state workers in November. The university plan will affect a larger number of state employees about 28,000, according to estimates from the governors office and is designed to include students who use work-study jobs to pay tuition and bills while attending classes. Many of those jobs currently pay the minimum wage, which last week rose to $9 in New York State. Under Mr. Cuomos plan, wages for such jobs will rise, again, to $9.75 next month at nearly three-dozen campuses across the state. Salaries at the City University of New York campuses will not be increased, though employees at some State University of New York schools in the city, such as Maritime College in the Bronx and Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, will see their hourly pay rise to $10.50 in February. Mirroring the gradual, and geographically based, changes for state workers, wages at SUNY affiliates in New York City will rise annually, peaking at $15 at the end of 2018, while increases outside the city will come slower, eventually reaching $15 in July 2021. When fully enacted, the estimated cost to the state will be an estimated $28 million, administration officials say; that money will be drawn from the budget of the state university system. The night manager of a McDonalds in the Bronx was stabbed to death outside the restaurant before dawn on Monday and the suspect in the killing fled, leading to a hunt for a man the police described as homeless and mentally unbalanced. The manager, Adam Garcia, a 28-year-old employee of the McDonalds on Broadway near West 236th Street in Kingsbridge, was attacked just before 4:30 a.m. as he was finishing up his shift, the police said. It had been a long shift for Mr. Garcia, but he had stayed on a bit longer to help colleagues and possibly give a friend a ride home. A lifelong Bronx resident, Mr. Garcia had worked his way up at the restaurant chain, and those who knew him said he was good-natured and took pride in his work. Image Mr. Garcia The attacker was a regular at the restaurant and often used the bathroom to clean up, said a law enforcement official who agreed to speak only on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing. To the Editor: Re Saudi Execution of Shiite Cleric Draws Outrage (front page, Jan. 3): At some point the world has to be firmer in condemning Saudi Arabia on its human rights violations as well as actions that serve only to increase tensions within the region and increase anti-Western sentiment in the Middle East. We are seen as giving a pass to Saudi Arabia because of oil while condemning other dictatorial or oppressive regimes like those of North Korea, Russia and Syria. If Saudi Arabia wants be a player within the international community, it needs to play by the rules, put a stop to its human rights violations and put those responsible behind bars. The execution of a dissident cleric in Saudi Arabia is both unfortunate and tragic. It does no one any good and should provoke a much stronger moral reaction from those of us in the West through isolation of the Saudis. Efforts need to be made by the relevant stakeholders to foster peace. Iran should, despite provocation, seek all legal, nonviolent means to register its protest and anger at the actions of the Saudis, as violence would lead to no good. And we in the West ought to register our discontent with Saudi Arabia and pursue long-term alternatives to relying on Saudi Arabia for oil. JACKSON KENTEBE Gibraltar To the Editor: It is ironic that this article cites Iran as a valid critic of Saudi Arabias executions, going so far as to refer to Iranian propaganda comparing Saudi Arabia to ISIS. The article says the Saudis executed at least 157 people in 2015. According to Amnesty International, however, Iran executed at least 289 people based on official reports (with the real figure probably at least 743) in 2014. Isnt this a case of the pot calling the kettle black? The execution of the popular Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 other prisoners on Saturday was about the worst way Saudi Arabia could have started what promises to be a grim and tumultuous year in the kingdom and across the Middle East. It is hard to imagine that the Sunni rulers of the kingdom were not aware of the sectarian passions the killings would unleash around the region. They may even have counted on the fierce reaction in Iran and elsewhere as a distraction from economic problems at home and to silence dissenters. Americas longstanding alliance with the House of Saud is no reason for the Obama administration to do anything less than clearly condemn this foolhardy and dangerous course with a more robust response than its call Monday for both sides to exercise restraint. The immediate consequence of the executions was a burst of hostility between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The two rivals are already backing opposite sides in civil wars in Syria and Yemen. Iranians infuriated by the killing of a revered cleric promptly ransacked and set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. Though Iranian leaders condemned the action and arrested protesters, Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-led allies in Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates were quick to cut or curtail ties with Iran. That in turn promised to set back international efforts to resolve the wars in Syria and Yemen and to combat the Islamic State and other Islamist terrorist organizations. Just weeks ago, a series of talks led by the United States and Russia and including the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers brought rival powers to the table to discuss a road map for peace in Syria. Then, on Saturday after announcing the executions, the Saudis ended a shaky cease-fire in Yemen. Saudi Arabias income has sharply declined as a result of the prolonged drop in oil prices caused, in part, by the regimes insistence on maintaining production levels and the government has announced cutbacks in the lavish welfare spending that Saudis have long taken for granted. The executions provided both a sectarian crisis to deflect anger over the cutbacks and a graphic warning of what can befall critics. But they are not the only fossil hunters here. Once a year for the past four years, the quarry has been opened to the public, and citizen paleontologists have come in droves about 1,500 for the most recent community event last fall. I found a pile of rocks, said Alexandra Hopper of Mantua, one of the participants. When we rinse them off, were hoping some of them are fossils. The diggers kept the fossils they found, and there are plenty to go around. The doomed creatures in the pit were mostly clams and oysters. But the fossils of animals like crocodiles and sea turtles are here, too, as well as the occasional mosasaur, a ferocious aquatic lizard with two long teeth at the back of its throat that pointed toward its gullet, ensuring that any prey it swallowed would never struggle out. Fossils are being found throughout the sediment that fills the pit, but the assemblage occupies a single concentrated layer. Bones and shells sometimes pile up when currents sweep dead sea creatures toward a particular eddy, where they accumulate over years or centuries. But here the skeletons of the larger creatures remain largely intact. That suggests they all died at the same time and then settled gently on the sea bottom. Q. What exactly is the difference between Gmail and Inbox? I have both apps on my phone and am not sure which one to use. A. Gmail, initially released as an invitation-only service in 2004, is Googles official web-based email service and a competitor to Microsofts Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail.com), Yahoo Mail and Apples iCloud mail service, among others. Inbox, first released as an invitation-only service in 2014, is a program that attempts to sort and organize your Gmail messages into logical groupings so they are easier to manage especially on a mobile device. You do not need an invitation to use either service anymore, but you need to have a Gmail address to use Inbox. Google makes both a Gmail app and an Inbox app for devices running Android and iOS. If you like the way Inbox organizes your messages, you can also use it with your desktop web browser after you have set it up on your mobile gadget; point your Chrome, Firefox or Safari browser to inbox.google.com to use it there. If you have both apps installed and set up, your messages (and the actions you take with them) are synced between Gmail and Inbox. Messages you archive, delete, create or mark as spam are handled the same way in both apps, no matter which one you are using at the time. Some features appear in only one app, though. You need to create your vacation response messages and certain filters in Gmail, while Inbox Reminders are not visible in Gmail. After one of her operations, my sister-in-law left the hospital so quickly that she couldnt eat for days; after other stays, she wasnt discharged until she felt physically and mentally prepared. Five days after his triple heart bypass surgery, my stepfather felt well enough to go home, but the hospital didnt discharge him for several more days. You undoubtedly have similar stories. Patients are often left wondering whether they have been discharged from the hospital too soon or too late. They also wonder what criteria doctors use to assess whether a patient is ready to leave. Its complicated and depends on more than clinical factors, said Dr. Ashish Jha, a Harvard physician who sees patients at a Boston Veterans Affairs hospital. Sometimes doctors overestimate how much support is available at home and discharge a patient too soon; sometimes we underestimate and discharge too late. Changing economic incentives which are not always evident in individual cases have also played a role in how long patients tend to stay. Recent changes to how hospitals are paid appear to be affecting which patients are admitted and how frequently they are readmitted. In November, a veteran CNN correspondent was suspended for two weeks over a remark that she later acknowledged was inappropriate and disrespectful. The Twitter post by the correspondent, Elise Labott, came after the House of Representatives had just passed a bill that would have made it much more difficult for Syrian refugees to enter the United States: Statue of Liberty bows head in anguish. Even as critics of the suspension, like the journalist Glenn Greenwald, sped to her defense, Ms. Labott apologized for editorializing. She has not posted on Twitter since. Yet hers was one of those utterances that resist erasure, that linger. It spoke of a year in American life roiling with hostility to outsiders. As millions of Syrians fled a shattered country, the United States departed from its own history to keep them at bay. Please forgive our rudeness, but we have a war in our country, a Syrian man said memorably to the BBC. Here are several of the underwater photos, and some questions that the investigation has raised. Image The navigation bridge of the sunken freighter El Faro, which broke loose as the ship sank. Credit... National Transportation Safety Board, via Associated Press Q. What do we know about the captains route? A. Federal investigators said that the ship left Florida at 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 29 three hours and 15 minutes after the National Hurricane Center predicted that a storm brewing ahead would become a hurricane named Joaquin. On Sept. 30, the captain emailed a company safety official to say that he planned to take a route south of the hurricanes predicted path. But by 7 a.m. on Oct. 1, he had made a recorded satellite call saying there was a maritime emergency: The ship had lost propulsion and there was water in hold No. 3, the investigative update said. A signal sent by the vessel at 7:17 a.m. indicated that the ships last reported position was about 20 miles from the edge of the eye of the hurricane. Q. How was the sunken ship found? A. A side-scan sonar, a 3,600-pound machine about the size of a large office desk, was lowered into the water by fiber optic cable to map the ocean floor and look for signs of wreckage. Then an eight-foot remote-operated vehicle known as a Curv-21, almost twice as heavy as the sonar, was lowered, carrying still and video cameras as well as gear needed to move objects and cut cables. That machine is capable of reaching depths of 20,000 feet. El Faros wreckage was found at about 15,000 feet. Q: Were the bodies of the missing mariners recovered? A. Tom Roth-Roffy, the lead investigator for the N.T.S.B., told The Associated Press that no human remains or personal effects had been found. I think we found one boot, he said. After running his campaign on a shoestring for months, thanks to the news medias obsessive attention, Donald J. Trump has released his first campaign commercial, promising to stop illegal immigration and defeat the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. On Screen The entire ad is shrouded in darkness of one kind or another: naval and aerial bombardments, surveillance video of blurry figures swarming what looks like an unguarded border, even the shadowed faces of Hillary Clinton and President Obama which not-so-subtly give way to shots of the husband-and-wife killers in San Bernardino, Calif., with a body bag being wheeled behind them. Mr. Trump almost shouts his I approve this message statement at the start; a deep-voiced narrator then gets down to the business of button-pushing, saying, as sirens whine: The politicians can pretend its something else, but Donald Trump calls it radical Islamic terrorism. Mr. Trumps call to bar Muslims from entering the United States is trumpeted, as a photograph of a crowded airport security line dissolves into one insinuating the risk if Muslims are not barred: masked, armed Syrian jihadists in your neighborhood. Same for the promise of a border wall that Mexico will pay for: Without it, the ad implies, you are not safe. The Message Fear, centered on immigration, the explosive issue underpinning Mr. Trumps candidacy. Even his promise to quickly cut the head off ISIS and take their oil is sandwiched between two promises about immigration. WASHINGTON President Obama will announce executive actions on Tuesday intended to expand background checks for some firearm purchases and step up federal enforcement of the nations gun laws, White House officials said Monday, once again trying to sidestep a gridlocked Congress on a politically divisive issue. But faced with clear legal limitations on his authority, Mr. Obama will take modest steps that stop well short of the kind of large-scale changes to the gun trade that he unsuccessfully sought from Congress three years ago. That legislation would have closed loopholes that allow millions of guns to be sold without background checks at gun shows or in online firearm exchanges. Instead, Mr. Obama will clarify that existing laws require anyone making a living by selling guns to register as a licensed gun dealer and conduct background checks. White House officials said the president would note that criminal penalties already exist for violating those laws. We have to be very clear that this is not going to solve every violent crime in this country, Mr. Obama said on Monday, ahead of a formal announcement on Tuesday. Its not going to prevent every mass shooting; its not going to keep every gun out of the hands of a criminal. WASHINGTON Not long after he took office as Philadelphias district attorney in 1986, Ronald D. Castille made a handwritten note on a subordinates memorandum. Approved to proceed on the death penalty, Mr. Castille wrote, in neat cursive script, authorizing prosecutors to seek the execution of a young murderer named Terrance Williams. Later, when Mr. Castille was running for a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, he said he was reluctant to take a firm public position on the death penalty, fearing it would require his recusal from all capital cases. I can certainly say I sent 45 people to death row as district attorney of Philadelphia, he told a legal newspaper in 1993, adding that voters sort of get the hint. Mr. Williams was the first of those 45. Mr. Castille won the election and served on the State Supreme Court for 21 years, the last seven as chief justice. One of his final acts, about two weeks before he retired at the end of 2014, was to join a unanimous decision reinstating Mr. Williamss death sentence. The Oregon protest at a federal wildlife refuge has reignited an already intense debate on social media about policing, race and terrorism. On Saturday, an armed group of antigovernment protesters occupied a remote federal wildlife refuge in Oregon and warned that they would not leave without a fight. The authorities have held back from attempting to stop the protest. On social media, that led quickly to questions about a double standard, particularly from liberals and the left, who asked: What if the armed men were Muslim or black? They predicted the authorities would have been more forceful. KABUL, Afghanistan Two bombings struck near Kabuls international airport on Monday, killing one and injuring more than 20, Afghan officials said. The more powerful of the attacks was in the evening, when a truck full of explosives was rammed into the wall of a compound for foreign and Afghan civilian contractors called Camp Baron, said Abdul Basir Mujahid, a spokesman for the Kabul police. One person was killed and 22 others wounded in the attack, all of them civilians, he said. Witnesses reported extensive damage in the area. Earlier in the day, a suicide bomber detonated his vest near the entrance to the airport, but the vehicle he was driving in, also laden with explosives, did not blow up, security officials said. There were no other casualties. The truck attack occurred just as an overnight siege of a building near an Indian Consulate in northern Afghanistan ended after 25 hours of fighting between militants and Afghan security forces. While the barbarians in the articles title refers to Baoneng, Zhao family refers to Anbang, as a signal that the company has backing from Communist Party elites. Anbangs chairman, Wu Xiaohui, married the granddaughter of the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. The company lists Chen Xiaolu, a son of the revolutionary military commander Chen Yi, on its board. The use of Zhao family to refer to powerful figures has since gone viral. It is a rebellious deconstruction of official language in the Internet age, Qiao Mu, an associate professor of communications at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said in an interview. In the past we called officials public servants, but in fact, its still a case of crony capitalism. In China, rich and powerful families are often the offspring of the Communist leaders. But its politically sensitive to say this out loud, so people are using Zhao family instead, as a form of ridicule. Mr. Qiao published three articles on a WeChat account he managed discussing the Zhao family and its members dominance in what some mockingly call their country, or China. The account has since been deleted, but the articles have been reposted elsewhere. Zhao family refers to rich and powerful families in China, he wrote. Their fathers seized political power, so their children are called second-generation red, people who have used their connections to retain power or amass enormous wealth in business. Image A portrait of Lu Xun, whose scathing critiques of the pre-revolutionary Chinese social order won him a place in the Communist pantheon. Credit... EYEPRESS NEWS, via Agence France-Presse Zhao family, as Mr. Qiao pointed out, derives from Lu Xuns celebrated novella. Ah Q, who is from a poor rural family, bullies those weaker than himself while currying favor with the powerful, who despise him. When Ah Q cheers with the Zhaos, a rich landlord family whose son has just passed the imperial examination, the Zhao patriarch slaps him and asks: Do you think you are worthy of the name Zhao? NEW DELHI A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.7 rocked northeastern India before dawn on Monday, sending tremors through neighboring countries and leaving at least six people dead and scores injured. Those tolls were expected to increase after disaster response teams arrived in Manipur State from the neighboring state of Assam on Monday morning. In Imphal, the capital of Manipur, casualties were relatively low because most buildings in the city are small, said Nandita Hazarika, a senior official at the disaster relief agency in Assam. By midafternoon on Monday, Clay Khongsai, inspector general of the police in Manipur, said by phone from the capital that the situation there was not as bad as officials had initially feared. NEW DELHI A gun battle at an Indian Air Force base entered its third day on Monday as Indian security officials announced they had killed a fifth gunman. At least six gunmen infiltrated a large Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Punjab, near the Pakistan border on Saturday. They have killed at least seven Indian soldiers and wounded at least 20. The operations are still going on, Dushyant Singh, an inspector general in Indias National Security Guards, an elite commando force, told reporters at a news conference. We have been able to eliminate a fifth terrorist. Arun Jaitley, Indias finance minister, described the gunmen as a well-trained suicidal squad. Their main aim was to damage our strategic assets at Pathankot air base, he said. HONG KONG The recent disappearance of five men tied to a publisher of provocative books about Chinas top leaders has alarmed many people in this semiautonomous city, some who fear that the historic agreement guaranteeing the former British colony its separate government and legal system may have been dealt a severe blow. In the worst-case scenario being speculated about, the five were all kidnapped by emissaries of Beijing and are being held in mainland China, to suffocate their voices and ferret out their Chinese sources. On Wednesday, Lee Bo, an editor at the publishing house, Mighty Current Media, whose wife is one of its three owners, became the latest to vanish. He was last seen that day leaving a warehouse here. On Saturday morning, he called his wife, Choi Ka Ping, from Shenzhen, across the border in the mainland, saying he was assisting in an investigation, according to Bei Ling, a writer based in the United States who has been following the case and who talked to Ms. Choi. LONDON In the days since Saudi Arabia inflamed tensions with Iran by executing 47 people, including a Shiite cleric, European observers have been quick to condemn the action, reflecting broader concern across the Continent about Saudi policy and its role in the tumult rolling through the Middle East. Opposition in Europe to the death penalty and harsh corporal punishment, including the flogging of a Saudi blogger who has become something of a cause celebre in Europe is just one element of the criticism of the Saudi monarchy. Even as European governments continue to view Saudi Arabia as a vital if problematic stabilizing force in the region, as well as a rich market for European arms and other products, European opinion has grown increasingly critical of Saudi support and financing for Wahhabist and Salafist preachers who have contributed to the Sunni extremist ideology that has fueled Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. In addition, the European Union and six major world powers reached a deal in Vienna over the summer to contain Irans nuclear program, and Iran is seen as essential to ending the five-year-old civil war in Syria, which has fueled a surge of migrants to the Continent, the highest number since World War II. So for many Europeans, Iran long a pariah because of its anti-Western rhetoric and its nuclear program has suddenly become, at least in comparison with Saudi Arabia, an object of sympathy. LONDON The Sudanese man who walked the 31 miles through the Channel Tunnel in August only to be arrested in Britain has been granted asylum and can stay in the country, his lawyers said on Monday. The man, Abdul Rahman Haroun, had been one of the thousands of migrants and asylum seekers living in camps in Calais, France, seeking to get themselves into Britain, where they believe life will be better for them than at home or elsewhere in Europe. Mr. Haroun, 40 at the time, is believed to be the first person to make it through the tunnel on foot, although he was arrested by the British on Aug. 4, before emerging into the open air after a walk of some 11 hours. His extraordinary effort won him considerable publicity, and various nongovernmental groups campaigned to let him stay in Britain, even as the Conservative government has been cracking down on illegal immigrants and trying to persuade its European Union partners to even put limits on the benefits received by legal immigrants to Britain. Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen announced on Monday that Denmark has stepped up border controls at its southern boundary with Germany to stem the flow of migrants. The move comes just hours after Sweden introduced ID checks for all passengers travelling by train from Denmark to Sweden. Rasmussen told reporters in Copenhagen that the temporary measure was a direct reaction to the Swedish decision. He expressed his dismay at having to introduce tighter controls, warning it could have a negative impact on prosperity, and called on European leaders to take collective action to better protect the blocs external borders. RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY Copenhagen - 4 January 2016 1. Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen walking to podium 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Lars Loekke Rasmussen, Danish Prime Minister: What we are doing today is that we purely react to a decision made in Sweden. And, previous to the Swedish decision, a decision in Norway and Finland as well. And we expect that the new weeks measures could cause serious disruption of the traffic flows from Denmark to Sweden and we have to respond to that in a very balanced way. So what we are doing today is not implementing one to one the Swedish solution with the Danish-German border. We are introducing temporary border control but in a balanced way, where the police will control buses and trains but still leave room for ordinary people to cross the borders. 3. Rasmussen at news conference 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Lars Loekke Rasmussen, Danish Prime Minister: I think its pretty obvious that we are in a situation. If the European Union cant protect the external borders, you will see more and more countries which will be forced into introducing temporary internal border control. This is something we need to take very seriously, because it will have a negative impact on prosperity. Im a true believer of the freedom of movement. This is not a happy moment at all. We have invested billions in infrastructure between Sweden and Denmark, we have invested millions in international branding of the greater Copenhagen region. So this is a step backwards. But I mean, I need to be pragmatic and I must respond to whats going on precisely this day in the Copenhagen area. We tried to do it in a very balanced way, so trade and ordinary people still can cross the borders. So the impact on the ordinary life is as small as possible. 5. Rasmussen at news conference 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Lars Loekke Rasmussen, Danish Prime Minister: What we need now is the European leaders who should respond to this. I mean, we have been pushing and pushing for a European solution. And what we need now is to take decisions about introducing the hotspots in reality. So this is a clear signal that Europe now needs to take decisions which can protect the external borders. If we dont do this it will of course have a potential negative impact on the freedom of movement in Europe and, in the long run, on European prosperity and growth. Thank you very much. 7. Rasmussen leaving news conference ++CONTINUES FROM SHOT 6++ TEHRAN Three Sunni-led countries joined Saudi Arabia on Monday in severing or downgrading diplomatic ties with Iran, worsening a geopolitical conflict with sectarian dimensions in one of the worlds most volatile regions. The diplomatic protests from the three countries Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates came as Iran accused Saudi Arabia of using an attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran two days earlier as a pretext for diverting attention from its problems. Iranian protesters ransacked and set fire to the embassy on Saturday, along with the Saudi Consulate in Irans second-largest city, Mashhad, after the Saudis executed a Shiite cleric who had criticized the Sunni kingdoms treatment of its Shiite minority. The Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, was among 47 people who were executed. The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, spoke by phone on Monday with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran, condemning both execution as well as the attack on the embassy. Mr. Ban who has repeatedly urged the two countries to cooperate on regional conflicts, especially on Syria called the break in Saudi-Iranian relations deeply worrying. UNITED NATIONS The death penalty is steadily receding toward the dustbin of history worldwide, with fewer than two dozen countries relying on it at all as a form of punishment. Yet a handful of countries have been especially eager to mete out capital punishment, including against those convicted of nonlethal crimes, while some countries that had discontinued capital punishment have resumed the practice, especially in what they consider to be terrorism cases. All told, in 2014, at least 2,466 people were sentenced to death a 28 percent increase from 2013, according to an annual tally by Amnesty International. Among the leading executioners in the world are the archrivals of the Middle East, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Indeed, it was Saudi Arabias execution of a Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, on Saturday that led to an unraveling of diplomatic ties between the two nations and raised apprehensions of a widening sectarian crisis in the region. BEIRUT, Lebanon Hezbollah attacked Israeli military vehicles on Monday in a disputed border territory, an assault the militant group said was in response to Israels killing last month of Samir Kuntar, a key Hezbollah operative in Syria. Israeli forces responded by firing artillery into southern Lebanon. The exchange added to rising tensions in the region amid an escalating diplomatic confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. But by nightfall, the situation on the border appeared to be calm. The exchange fits a pattern that Israel and Hezbollah have followed since their devastating war in 2006, in which they attempt to respond to attacks with enough force to satisfy constituents and save face, but not strongly enough to provoke an escalation from the other side. Mondays attack took place in Shebaa Farms, an area now held by Israel that has also been claimed by Lebanon and Syria. Israels military said that a bulldozer and other vehicles hit a roadside bomb, causing no casualties. Hezbollahs Al Manar television station said the attack also used missiles, and that it had destroyed a military vehicle, injuring soldiers inside. On the Lebanese side, local media reported that several houses were damaged. The Israeli Army said it had targeted only Hezbollah sites. JERUSALEM The United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories, Makarim Wibisono, submitted his resignation to the president of the Human Rights Council on Monday, citing Israels refusal to grant him access to the West Bank and Gaza. Mr. Wibisono assumed the post in June 2014, and his resignation will take effect on March 31. I took up this mandate with the understanding that Israel would grant me access, as an impartial and objective observer, Mr. Wibisono said in a statement, adding that he had made repeated written and verbal requests for access. Israel, which has long regarded the Human Rights Council as biased and deeply hostile to its interests, has refused to cooperate with some other council envoys, including those investigating the recent conflicts in Gaza. Emmanuel Nahshon, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Israel admired Mr. Wibisonos personal integrity, but that a lack of balance characterizes not only the mandate of the rapporteur but the conduct of the Human Rights Council as a whole. One of this nations most abiding myths is that social origins dont matter. Each of us is Gatsby, or can be, with the potential to be reinvented and obliterate the past. This is nowhere more true than in New York City, where, surrounded by millions, each person supposedly stands upon his or her own merits. If we reach a sophisticated urban consensus on how to speak, how to dress, how to live, then who will know what lies beneath the surface? Who will know what any one of us might really mean by words like home, childhood or love? Elizabeth Strout is a writer bracingly unafraid of silences, her vision of the world northern, Protestant and flinty. Olive Kitteridge, her Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of linked stories, gives life to a woman both fierce and thwarted, hampered in her passions at once by rage and a sense of propriety. The narrator of Strouts powerful and melancholy new novel, My Name Is Lucy Barton, might be a distant relation of Olives, though she is raised in poverty outside the small town of Amgash, Ill., rather than in Maine, and her adult home, where most of the novel takes place, is in Manhattan. Lucy is a writer words are her vocation and yet she, like Olive, hovers at the edge of the sayable, attempting to articulate experiences that have never been and, without the force of her will, might never be expressed. She says she decided in the third grade to be a writer after reading about a girl named Tilly, who was strange and unattractive because she was dirty and poor. Books brought me things, she explains. They made me feel less alone. This is my point. And I thought: I will write and people will not feel so alone! Lucy Bartons story is, in meaningful ways, about loneliness, about an individuals isolation when her past all that has formed her is invisible and incommunicable to those around her. Like the fictional Tilly, she endured a childhood of hardship, shunned even by her Amgash classmates, living in a world incomprehensible to her adult friends in New York. Not only did the family have little heat and little food, they had no books, no magazines and no TV: There was a lot for Lucy to catch up on. Franklin Roosevelt held an average of 84 presidential news conferences a year 14 times the number given by Ronald Reagan and three to four times the output of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush or Barack Obama. Roosevelt charmed the White House press corps to within an inch of its life, leaked big stories to favored reporters and still made time for writers from obscure trade journals and others who were technically ineligible for press credentials. He nevertheless shunned the Negro press, shutting it out of the White House press corps until the last of his 12 years in office. By avoiding fire-breathing newspapers like The Chicago Defender, The Baltimore Afro-American and The Pittsburgh Courier, Roosevelt insulated himself from questions about what African-Americans saw as the burning issue of the 1940s: the governments decision to embrace segregation in the military. Separating military men and women and even the plasma in the wartime blood bank by race, the government ratified racial apartheid in the South and introduced Jim Crow segregation into parts of the country where it had been unknown. This meant humiliation for black men who rushed to enlist as the country rearmed itself for war. They were either turned away because there were too few segregated units to accommodate them or confined to all-black regiments that were mainly designated for jobs like building roads, loading ships and digging latrines. Men who were eager to prove themselves in battle grew demoralized marking time on bases that gave them ramshackle housing and confined them to Jim Crow buses and even colored only sections of movie theaters. The Pentagon made matters worse (if such a thing were possible) by intentionally placing black soldiers under the command of white Southern officers on the premise that Southerners better understood black people. It should come as no surprise that many military bases were tinderboxes, one matchstick away from explosion. Roosevelt had no interest in submitting to journalists who might grill him on issues such as these. But as the former Chicago Defender editor and reporter Ethan Michaeli shows in his extraordinary history, The Defender, the Negro press barons attacked military segregation with a zeal that set Roosevelts teeth on edge. The Negro press warned black men against Navy recruiters who would promise them training as radiomen, technicians or mechanics then put them to work serving food to white men. It made its readers understand that black men and women in uniform were treated worse in Southern towns than German prisoners of war and sometimes went hungry on troop trains because segregationists declined to feed them. It focused unflinchingly on the fistfights and gun battles that erupted between blacks and whites on military bases. And it reiterated the truth that no doubt cut Roosevelt the most deeply: His governments insistence on racial separation was of a piece with the master race theory put in play by Hitler in Europe. This was not the first time The Defender and its sister papers had attacked institutional racism. That part of the story begins with Robert S. Abbott, the transplanted Southerner who created The Defender in 1905 and fashioned it into a potent weapon. Abbott increased his readership by fully revealing the horrors of lynching and enticing the black people upon whom Southerners relied for cheap labor to move north in the exodus later known as the Great Migration. Valley police arrested Fransico Bernard St. George, 18, of Lanett and a juvenile also from Lanett Saturday in connection to a robbery that occurred in the 3700 block of 20th Avenue in Valley. At approximately 7:30 p.m., officers were called to Chambleys Bait and Tackle in reference to a robbery that had just taken place. Officers met with the store clerk and were told that he was closing for the night when he heard noises coming from the rear of the business that sounded as if someone were trying to enter the building. The clerk, who was armed with a handgun, went to investigate. He then heard voices and movement coming from the restroom. He opened the door and confronted two black males who had climbed in through a window. One of them immediately escaped back through the window. The other suspect charged at the clerk and they started wrestling. While they were wrestling, the gun discharged but no one was struck. The suspect then took the gun from the clerk and left through the window. While investigating this crime, Valley Police investigators reviewed the stores video surveillance and identified one of the suspects as St. George. Still pictures from the video were sent to a juvenile intake officer with the Chambers County Juvenile Court system, and he was able to identify the second suspect as a 16-year-old resident of Lanett. Both St. George and the juvenile were arrested approximately three hours after the robbery. The juvenile was arrested at his residence. St. George was arrested at a residence on 16th Avenue in Valley. The stolen handgun was recovered at that residence. St. George and the juvenile were taken to the Valley Police Department, where they were interviewed and both admitted to their part in the robbery. Both were charged with second-degree robbery and second-degree theft of property. The Valley Police Department expressed thanks to the Chambers County Juvenile Court, the Chambers County Sheriffs Office and the Lanett Police Department for their assistance in bringing the case to a swift conclusion. Accounting firm Squar Milner will buy Los Angeles-based Solomon, Winnett & Rosenfield and San Diego-based McLean, Rotherham & Co. Both accounting firms will fall under Squar Milners name and have headquarters in Newport Beach. About 50 employees will come with the two acquisitions. The firm has 147 Orange County employees as well as 116 employees in Los Angeles, Encino, San Diego and Cayman Islands offices. Wag!, an app that connects pet owners with dog walkers, has debuted in Orange County. The app is free to download for iPhone users. It will be available to Android users soon. Founded in January 2015, the service is based in Los Angeles. On the move Irvine-based investment firm Engaged Capital has nominated three individuals for election to its board at the upcoming 2016 annual stockholders meeting. The nominees are: Scott Ward, chairman and interim chief executive of Cardiovascular Systems and former president of Medtronics cardiovascular business Shawn McCormick, former chief financial officer of Tornier in Nevada Brendan Springstubb, senior analyst of Engaged Capital Good works Huntington Beach-based NuVision Federal Credit Union adopted eight Southern California families for the holidays. Employees donated gifts that fit the families wish lists. The families were adopted from Oak View Elementary School in Huntington Beach, Dolores Elementary School in Carson, Hillcrest Elementary School in Monterey Park and Bennett Kew Elementary School in Inglewood. NuVision also served as collection sites for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program for the 10th consecutive year. More than eight bins of toys were collected for children in the community. Milestone Irvine-based Toshiba America Business Solutions e-Bridge CloudConnect application was honored with a Gold Best in Biz Award in the Enterprise Service of the Year category. The Best in Biz Awards is an independent business awards program judged by members of the press and industry analysts. Status Update is compiled and written by Angela Ratzlaff. Send business items relating to promotions and new ventures to aratzlaff@ocregister.com. Contact the writer: aratzlaff@ocregister.com BURNS, Ore. With a group of armed, anti-government protesters in control of federal buildings near here, law enforcement officials are again facing a choice they confronted in past standoffs: whether to act cautiously and risk looking weak and emboldening others, or to react forcefully and risk turning a small group of people into martyrs for their cause. The past confrontations at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, and Waco, Texas, in 1993 turned into sieges and ended in violence and death, fueling extreme anti-government views in some quarters. Timothy McVeigh, who bombed the federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, was motivated in part by those clashes. In contrast, the government retreated from the 2014 confrontation with Cliven Bundy, a Nevada rancher, when supporters rallied around him and threatened a gunbattle with federal officials. For more than two decades, Bundy has refused to pay fees for grazing his livestock on federal land, becoming a symbol of resistance to people who object to federal control of vast acres in the West. At a glance, the stakes here would appear to be low. The armed group, led by two of Bundys sons, took control over the weekend of the unoccupied headquarters of a wildlife sanctuary, miles from any town, in the dead of winter. Their numbers are small how small is unclear, with local news reports suggesting as few 15, and the group saying up to 100 and those who have been identified are from outside the area and appear not to have much local support. For now, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have taken a low-key approach, and the people occupying the buildings vow that they will not go away. Heidi Beirich, the director of intelligence with the Southern Poverty Law Center who oversees the centers tracking of extremist groups, said the last Bundy standoff set a bad precedent. They were emboldened by their ability to run federal officials off at the point of a gun, Beirich said. Now, a year and half later, there have been no prosecutions whatsoever. Pointing a gun at a federal officer is a crime. The lesson, she said, is that you can beat the federal government, you can do what you want with federal lands and you wont be punished. The FBI said in a statement that while state and local agencies would remain involved in the current standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the bureau would take the lead. Due to safety considerations for both those inside the refuge as well as the law enforcement officers involved, the statement said, we will not be releasing any specifics with regards to the law enforcement response. The clash stems from the arson convictions of two local ranchers, Dwight L. Hammond and his son Steven D. Hammond, who set fires that burned federal lands. The ranchers said they were fighting wildfires and invasive vegetation, while federal officials said they were covering up poaching on federal land. This is a sparsely populated region heavily dependent on ranching and logging where the federal government owns much of the land. Such areas are common in the West, with frequent conflicts between federal officials who control access to the land and people who want greater freedom to use it. The Hammonds served prison sentences and were released, but a federal court ruled that they were improperly sentenced, and ordered them to serve more time. They were expected to surrender to federal authorities on Monday. The case became a cause celebre for anti-government groups, including those calling themselves militias, who contend that the federal government has usurped powers that belong to people and the states. A protest was held here in support of the Hammonds, and some of the protesters broke away and occupied the wildlife refuge buildings. The Hammonds have distanced themselves from the group and its actions, and it was not clear whether any of its members were from the area. This county isnt supportive of whats being done here at all, said Dan Nichols, a county commissioner who is a neighbor of the Hammond family. Once again, its a bunch of those who live without the county telling us what we need to do, how we need to be doing it and the repercussions if we dont. In a statement captured on video, Ammon Bundy, a son of Cliven Bundy, said Sunday that his group was prepared to be out here for as long as need be and would leave only when the people of Harney County can use these lands as free men. The incident added to a fierce debate on social media, with some people offering support to the anti-government group, and others arguing that if the people involved had not been white, they would have been dealt with harshly. Local activists say taxpayers should not be on hook for luxury inn CJ Photos by Don Carrington Some of the costs of construction and property acquisition for The Mayton Inn are covered by a $1.4 million loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CARY A Cary watchdog group plans to ask the General Assembly in 2015 to patch what it views as loopholes in state law that allowed Cary officials to help finance a boutique hotel with taxpayer money. The project was slammed as wasteful spending in a high-profile national report."The general statutes are very specific in bidding process, and the whole management of public dollars, and they have completely ignored it," said Cindy Emens, a member of Cary Watch.The citizens group has a long list of objections with how the town approved the $14.2 million, 45-room, four-diamond Mayton Inn and restaurant.Emens said taxpayers have no recourse in objecting to what Cary Watch considers an illegal use of taxpayer funding for some economic development projects. She said the attorney general's office says there is no trigger mechanism empowering it to enforce statutes requiring project developers to submit bid proposals and post performance bonds.Cary Watch members have discussed their concerns with state Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, Sen. Josh Stein, D-Wake, and Vance Holloman, deputy treasurer at the State and Local Government Finance Division of the Treasurer's Office.The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which often redevelops impoverished areas, is providing a $1.4 million loan to Cary to help build the downtown hotel.U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., cited the project as one of the 100 most wasteful uses of taxpayer money in his 2014 Wastebook: What Washington Doesn't Want You to Read. The projects in the list total $30 billion.Asked why a loan is in the Wastebook, Coburn's office replied:"This is an unusual arrangement in which the federal government makes the taxpayer both the lender and the one responsible for repaying the loan if the recipient does not. With an $18 trillion national debt, taxpayers have already [been] put at enough risk for Washington's unnecessary borrowing schemes."Only government bureaucrats and politicians would think it is a good idea to spend HUD funds on a posh boutique hotel to pamper the well off when thousands in North Carolina are homeless or lack stable housing," the spokesman added."We're certainly amused, I guess, to be on the list of 100 most wasteful projects," said Colin Crossman of Durham, who is building the Mayton Inn with his wife, Deanna. The $1.4 million loan is "pretty de minimis" in comparison to other projects on the list, he said.Crossman said there were several inaccuracies in Coburn's report, including criticism that he got the project through a no-bid process."We followed all of the legal requirements" under the state economic development statute, which does not require a bidding process when paying fair market value for land, Crossman said.Emens disagrees, based on a review she and her husband - both of whom are retired city planners - conducted. The state constitution bars giving "special favor to any particular party, and this was a special favor to the Crossmans," Emens said."This is all in violation of the bidding procedures" required by state statutes, she said. There were no solicitations for proposals or bids, and no performance bond posted. The town cited trade secrets to deny Cary Watch requests to view market studies and cost-benefit analyses to verity the project's viability.Critics say the city sold the hotel site to the Crossmans for less than half the price the city paid for it and has promised to forgo more than $1 million in development fees and spend more than $300,000 on demolition, grading, and landscaping for the project.In all, Emens said, taxpayers could lose closer to $6 million if the project fails, not just the $1.4 million HUD loan."The statutes say that there should be indemnification for the taxpayers whereby they could take the land back and could recover the value of the public investment," Emens said. "But they've completely circumvented that.""I don't consider it a wasteful project at all. It's an economic development project that's an important piece of our downtown redevelopment effort, and also it will serve to create jobs," said Cary Town Manager Benjamin Shivar."We have distressed areas within town, and we're an entitlement CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] community, so we do have funds that are used for low- and moderate-income housing support and other projects," Shivar said."The census tract that the downtown is located in is our most distressed, poverty-stricken census tract in Cary," said Phil Smith, long-range planning manager in the town's Planning Department.The HUD Section 108 program financing the hotel project "is specifically directed at economic development," raising property values in the downtown area, and creating jobs, Shivar said. It is the first time Cary has participated in that program."We are always concerned with the optics connected with the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. However, hotels and the hospitality industry are normally good job and economic generators," said Jereon Brown, a spokesman for HUD in Washington.Crossman said the hotel and full-service restaurant would create 60 jobs.The Section 108 program is designed to be a source of financing for local economic development, housing rehabilitation, public facilities, and large-scale physical development projects that benefit low- to moderate-income people and "to encourage private economic activity by providing the initial resources," Brown said.The town used CDBG funds, intended for affordable housing programs for the poor, as collateral for the HUD loan.Smith said forfeiting CDBG grant funds would be "the last resort." The town would have revenue available from hotel owners' payments from business proceeds, and liens on the property and the business assets.The town will pay up to $325,000 for demolition, rough grading, and streetscape work, and to relocate two historic homes onto the site, said Ted Boyd, Cary's downtown manager. The town will waive normal development fees and tax payments.The town is using seller financing for the $951,000 purchase of the hotel parcel. Boyd said the principal and interest will be repaid to HUD. The town is charging an additional 1 percent interest to be used by the town as program income for future CDBG-eligible activities.Town and HUD officials were asked whether well-heeled travelers would pay premium rates to stay in the worst section of town."We have analyzed the business plan of the hotel, and we feel that there is an acceptable risk based on the projections and the business plan that they have presented us," Smith said."This project was thoroughly evaluated and met our underwriting criteria before we considered providing a portion of the necessary funding," Brown said."Our goal is to redevelop our downtown to make it a more vibrant area," Smith said. "The area is distressed because of the older surrounding neighborhoods. We want to revitalize those." Orange County is experiencing a boom of high-profile restaurant openings, with more than a dozen debuting in the final stretch of 2015. The spate of new eateries, which includes Amar Santanas highly anticipated Vaca in Costa Mesa, comes as Orange County closes the year with another gain in the number of restaurants operating in the community, according to data from the countys Health Care Agency. As of Dec. 1, the county had 8,639 restaurants, up from 8,529 in 2014. Since the end of the last recession, the number of restaurants in the county has grown by nearly 600. The gain comes as the U.S. restaurant industry emerges from a post-recession rut. Restaurants across the country have consistently reported positive same-store sales and growth over the last 32 months ending in October, according a monthly index by the National Restaurant Association, a trade group that tracks industry performance. Independent research from The NPD Group also shows a brighter future for the industry in 2016. For the second year in a row, visits to restaurants will inch up 1 percent this year, remaining at roughly 61 billion a year, NPD reported. Consumer spending, however, is projected to increase 3 percent. It has been a long, slow recovery, but the food-service industry has recovered nearly all of the steep traffic losses incurred after the recession began in 2008, NPD analyst Bonnie Riggs said. NPD and other industry firms have come up with a list of restaurant trends to watch out for in 2016 that includes breakfast, food delivery, clean foods and no tipping policies. Breakfast beyond morning The worlds largest burger chain has put the spotlight on morning grub. In October, McDonalds launched its all-day breakfast menu. The chain now offers Egg McMuffins and pancakes during operating hours and for some McDonalds that means 24 hours a day. The menu change has helped lure lapsed customers as well as new diners, both of which have increased visits at lunch, NPD reported. Expect other chains to emphasis breakfast programs, a popular dining category that is sure to get even hotter in 2016. Locally, breakfast wars are already playing across the county. Starbucks breakfast menu has been available all day for 10 years, but the chain didnt promote the all-day platform until 2013. That year, drive-through lanes added great for breakfast, lunch, or anytime or breakfast all day on menu boards, the company said. Similar signs have been spotted recently at new cafes inside the Disneyland Resort. In 2014, Taco Bell entered the fast-food breakfast wars when it rolled out its morning menu nationwide. In ad campaigns, the Irvine chain boldly took aim at McDonalds making it clear they were attempting to lure Egg McMuffin fans. Clean menus, safe food In the recent aftermath of multiple food scares that have rocked Chipotle Mexican Grill, industry trend watchers say food safety will be top of mind more than ever in 2016. Darren Tristano, president of market research firm Technomic, said consumers are looking for menu transparency and corporate responsibility from restaurants. Trust is especially critical given that Chipotle has built its fresh-Mex empire on its food with integrity philosophy. The clean menu trend will become even more pronounced in 2016, NPD said. Expect more chains to eliminate artificial ingredients from menus and to switch to suppliers who treat animals humanely. Irvine-based Taco Bell recently announced plans to use cage-free eggs at roughly 6,000 U.S. restaurants by Dec. 31, 2016. Other companies moving to cage-free egg suppliers in the near future include McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts and food giant Nestle. Last week, Carls Jr. announced plans to replace its four-year-old charbroiled turkey burger with one that is made with antibiotic free turkey meat. In 2014, Carls Jr. debuted a grass-fed, free-range beef patty with no added hormones. Food at your doorstep Though communal food halls remain a hot trend, diners sometimes want to eat in and they want choices beyond the usual delivery offerings of Chinese food and pizza. Enter food delivery services such as DoorDash, Postmates and Instacart. The third-party food delivery services are growing like crazy and that wont change going into 2016. On demand is definitely a huge trend, said Tristano, referring to the want it now generation that is driving food delivery sales. Still, he warns restaurants that food delivery is not going to grow the business. Its going to help maintain the business. Contact the writer: nluna@ocregister.com BEIRUT Lebanese militant group Hezbollah struck an Israeli armored patrol with a roadside bomb at the border on Monday and Israel responded by shelling the area, with no immediate word on casualties. Hezbollah said the attack was carried out by a unit named for Samir Kantar, a prominent Lebanese militant killed in Syria last month. Hezbollah had blamed Israel and vowed to avenge his death, suggesting a possible motivation for Mondays attack. Hezbollah said it set off a large explosive device as the vehicles passed in the disputed Chebaa Farms area, destroying a Humvee and causing casualties among the soldiers inside. The Israeli army said vehicles in the area were hit with an improvised explosive device and that it responded with targeted artillery fire. It did not say whether there were any casualties. Hezbollahs television channel Al-Manar said one of the vehicles targeted was carrying a senior officer. Tensions on the border have been high since Kantar, who carried out a notorious attack in Israel and spent nearly 30 years in an Israeli jail, was killed in Syria by an airstrike late last month. Border skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah have quickly escalated into all-out war in the past, with one cross-border raid by the group in 2006 touching off a monthlong Israeli offensive that included a ground invasion and airstrikes that reached across all of Lebanon. But with Hezbollah currently engaged in the Syrian civil war on the side of President Bashar Assad, and Israel free to target the group in porous Syrian airspace, both sides seem too occupied elsewhere to opt for a new war in Lebanon. Later Monday, Lebanese security officials said that more than 50 Israeli shells hit several villages in the area where the Hezbollah operation was carried out. Residents along the border said shelling from Israeli tanks and artillery landed in agricultural areas inside Lebanon, but did not report casualties. The officials said the patrol was hit near an Israeli army position in the Kfar Chouba hills, which Beirut says is Lebanese land occupied by Israel. The residents requested anonymity, saying they feared for their safety, while the officials did so in line with regulations. The United Nations force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL said in a statement that it has further reinforced its presence on the ground and intensified patrols in coordination with the Lebanese army. UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the facts and circumstances of the incident, the statement said. The statement quoted UNIFILs Head of Mission, Maj. Gen. Luciano Portolano, as saying calm has been restored in the area and the parties have reassured me of their continued commitment to maintain the cessation of hostilities. Just a day earlier, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to avenge the killing of Kantar, who was the longest serving Lebanese prisoner in Israel before he was released in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in the raid that kicked off the 2006 war. Kantar joined Hezbollah after being released by Israel in 2008. Kantar was killed on Dec. 19, along with eight others, in an airstrike on a residential building in Jaramana, near the Syrian capital of Damascus. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied carrying out the airstrikes. Orange County, California. Home to John Wayne, Mickey Mouse and the Beach Boys Endless Summer. Home to a million We Support Our Troops signs. Also home to a growing homeless veteran community. Further, no one is exactly sure how many homeless veterans live in Orange County because they live in a shadow world, forgotten, ignored or just overlooked. However many there are, the fact that there are any homeless veterans is a point of shame on our nations character. These are the men and women who defended the country. They come from every conceivable background and are sent off to face the horrors of war, time and time again. Many return whole, some lose a part of themselves, others never return. No one returns unblemished. Many transition to civilian life, go to college and start a career and a family in the suburbs. Some return to years of reparative therapy. Many weather the vagaries of the American global economy as well as anyone can. Some fall short they lose a job, are unable to obtain stability or employment, the money runs out and they lose their apartments or homes. They either move in with friends or relatives or are turned out onto the street. Confused, angry, frustrated, too many turn to drugs and suicide or wind up in jail. One of the most difficult benefits to procure and the most crucial to many healthy homeless veterans is a housing voucher. The California Department of Social Services supplies assistance to qualified veterans in the form of Cal-VASH vouchers, Section 8 Housing vouchers dressed up in camouflage. The fly in the ointment is that the Orange County housing market has been flooded with these vouchers, often in direct competition with regular Section 8 housing vouchers. The vacancy rate in Orange County in June was estimated to be about 2.4 percent, and the average rent of a single bed apartment was put at $1,800 per month, far above the means of voucher holders. Case managers at Operation Healthy Homecoming privately acknowledge that there are about five Cal-VASH voucher holders for each available Section 8 housing opening. Additionally, too often a veteran facing homelessness is forced to deal with a bureaucracy that thinks moving at a glacial pace is akin to drag racing along an abandoned stretch of highway. Waits of 90 days or greater can transpire while a prospective unit waits to pass inspection by a local housing authority. This deprives a landlord of prospective rent and a qualified veteran with a voucher for a home. Often a veterans voucher will expire while waiting for a unit to pass inspection from the housing authority. Voucher discrimination is another hurdle that homeless veterans have to contend with. Many articles have been written about the crime statistics of census tracts where vouchers are accepted, negative depictions which create resistance among landlords toward voucher holders. Studies by the Furman Center of New York University and the Urban Institute present empirical data that refute the premise that voucher holders bring crime into neighborhoods. Contrary to popular belief, these studies show that voucher holders gravitated to neighborhoods where crime incidents were already high. Voucher activists could make acceptance easier by actively and aggressively educating landlords and the public in general of these facts. Moreover, Cal-VASH administrators and local housing authorities should direct their thinking to reforming the Cal-VASH program to allow greater flexibility in how this program is administered and the choices homeless veterans can make toward their housing. It grates against conservative principles for any level of government to compel American citizens to conduct their private lives and businesses to the dictates of bureaucrats. It should also grate against conservative principles to see veterans homeless on the streets, casualties of a global economy in turmoil. Is it beyond the pale of political discourse to either incentivize or compel landlords to accept greater numbers of Cal-VASH vouchers as renters? Additionally, cant local authorities stipulate to rental developers that 25 percent of the rental units be made available to veteran voucher holders? Imagine the impact on the homeless veteran population if a quarter of the housing in the Great Park were reserved for those individuals and families. The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (more popularly known as the G.I. Bill) has been hailed as the setting stone of Americas postwar economic boom. A similar bill to address the growing homeless veteran population should be fast-tracked through Congress. All Americans owe a debt to the veterans who have fought to preserve our freedoms, and landlords have a moral and civic duty to provide adequate housing for homeless veterans. Every veteran that we take off the street is a life saved and a debt paid. Christopher Gilbertson is a veteran of the United States Navy. He has worked 20 years at several Southern California law firms and is currently the staff librarian at the Veterans Legal Institute. One thing is all but certain in 2016. The immigration issue will continue to frame national political debate and inspire passionate discussions at gatherings throughout the Inland area. Concern over letting Syrian immigrants come to the United States in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks and questions over how Pakistani Tashfeen Malik, one of the San Bernardino shooters, was allowed here on a K-1 fiancee visa, have inflamed rhetoric on both sides of the issue. Add to that a potential increase in immigrants voting in the upcoming election presidential primary and general elections, and its clear immigration cant be ignored. Here is what to look out for in the coming year: SAN BERNARDINO AND THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE Before the Dec. 2 shooting that killed 14 and wounded 22 others, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump already was advocating for mass deportation of millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, as well as their American-born children. Following the deadly Islamic State attacks in Paris, Trump advocated for a government database to track Muslims in the United States. Trump then called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States after the San Bernardino massacre that the FBI is investigating as an act of terrorism. John Berry of the Redlands Tea Party Patriots said people now view immigration as synonymous with national security. As the Dec. 2 atrocities reveal, the two are inextricably linked, Berry said. People see immigrants as the pipeline for terrorists because of that, immigration has become that much more important. Berry said more activists at the local level are urging their elected officials to stand against terrorism, by opposing unvetted immigration. Jose Munoz, who grew up in San Bernardino and teaches immigration at Cal State San Bernardino, said the immigration implications of San Bernardino will come up often in the coming year. People are even more fearful about migrants, about border security, Munoz said. I think people will use it to justify border security and you certainly see what Trump is doing, he added. FATE OF SYRIAN REFUGEES Dozens of U.S. governors have vowed to reject Syrian refugees from resettling in their states after the deadly Paris terrorist attacks. Texas is mounting the most aggressive campaign of the nearly 30 states that have vowed to ban Syrian refugees. Its the only state that has taken the U.S. government to court in an effort to block resettlement. Meanwhile, a federal judge rejected the states request. Despite the ruling, Texas lawsuit is not over. A hearing is likely in January. According to The New York Times, the U.S. has accepted roughly 1,800 Syrian refugees since 2012. California is among the 36 states where refugees have settled, per multiple media reports. Even as governors in some states say Syrian refugees arent welcome, resettlement agencies and volunteer groups with refugees continue welcoming them. Here in the Inland area, clergy leaders said its the responsibility of the faith community to help them. The Rev. Bill Freeman of Menifee United Church of Christ declared in November that his congregation is offering to house Syrian refugees. The church received threatening messages after expressing its support for Syrian refugees. SHIELDING FROM DEPORTATION The outcome of President Barack Obamas plan to spare about 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation, could be determined by the Supreme Court. After a federal appeals court in New Orleans upheld a Texas-based federal judges injunction against his plan, the Obama administration vowed to take the issue to the Supreme Court. The courts could hold arguments in April with a decision expected in June. If the justices rule for the administration, Obama would have roughly seven months in office to implement his plan. Inland immigrant rights groups supporting the presidents immigration executive order said theyre hopeful the courts will rule in their favor. We definitely feel that by June of this coming year, with the Supreme Court hopefully taking the case, that we will know if (Obamas plan) will be reality, said Javier Hernandez, director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice. We feel the Supreme Court will get it right, Hernandez said. Obamas plan would expand the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, for immigrants who arrived in the U.S. illegally before they were 16. Under the expansion, the former age cap of 31 was eliminated. The other major part, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, would extend deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for years. BECOMING CITIZENS The anti-immigrant rhetoric in todays political landscape is encouraging immigrants to become U.S. citizens. And the White House has recently promoted a citizenship campaign. Thats why the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and other immigrant rights groups are planning a number of citizenship drives this coming year. In November, the coalition held what was supposed to be a legal clinic focusing on health-care access for immigrant children and DACA-related issues, but it became a full-scale citizenship drive when several people expressed interest in filling out citizenship applications. The group wound up helping about 50 people complete their citizenship applications within about five hours. We were very shocked to see those types of numbers, Hernandez said. Hernandez said immigrants are more interested in becoming citizens in order to vote against candidates like Trump who are advocating deportation. The White House campaign also is helping, he said. President Obama in September launched the Stand Stronger campaign encouraging immigrants to commit to citizenship. The campaigns website features practice citizenship exams, a citizenship class locator, and citizenship applications. About 8.8 million immigrants are eligible for citizenship, the White House said. Research shows that at least for Latinos, those who become citizens during a politically charged environment on immigrant issues, vote at rates substantially higher than native-born or longer term naturalized Latino citizens, according to the University of Southern Californias Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration. CENTRAL AMERICAN MIGRATION Authorities in 2016 could continue to see a growing number of Central American migrant families attempting to cross the U.S. southern border as violence grips the region. El Salvador, for example, this year made headlines for reaching levels of violence not seen since the end of the civil war in 1992. Data show theres been a massive boost in the number of unaccompanied children and families caught trying to cross the U.S. southern border. Nearly 10,600 unaccompanied children in 2015 were apprehended at the border in October and November, more than twice the amount during the same time period last year, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. About 12,500 people traveling as families were caught this year in October and November. Last year, 4,577 were caught during the same time period. Most of the families are from Central Americas Northern Triangle, which includes Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. San Bernardino Guatemalan Consulate Billy Munoz said the Central American migration flow to the U.S. continues, but he said many immigrants are being detained in Mexican territory and never make it to the U.S. border. Munoz said the Guatemalan Consulate, since its opening in San Bernardino in 2015, has promoted the Central American Minors Refugee/Parole Program that works to reunite Central American immigrants who arelegally in the United States with family members in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. He said 20 cases of people in the Inland area have so far been identified to potentially benefit from this program that provides certain qualified children in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras a safe, legal, and orderly alternative to the dangerous journey that some children are currently undertaking to the United States, said the U.S. Department of State, which administers the program. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact the writer: amolina@pressenterprise.com or 951-368-9462 The man suspected of shooting two people in an Ontario cemetery Saturday, was identified Sunday as 71-year-old Karapet Karajan. Misak Minasyan, 60, and Hripsime Minasyan, 59 were identified as the two people Karajan killed before taking his own life about 3 p.m. at the Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetary, Ontario police said in a news release. Both victims were from North Hollywood and were related to Karajan by marriage. Misak Minasyan was Karajans sister-in-law and Hripsime was the brother-in-law of Karajans wife, police said. Karajan was at the cemetery a day before the fifth anniversary of his wifes death, Sgt. Jeff Higbee wrote in the release. She died after a long battle with cancer and Karajan had difficulty dealing with her death. He became estranged from the family for over a year, Higbee wrote in the release. Higbee said in the release Saturday that Karajan had been sitting in his car at the cemetery when three of his family members arrived, according to witness statements. As his family members were approaching the grave site, Karajan got out of his car with a handgun and quickly shot the two victims before turning the gun on himself. One elderly woman using a walker who had arrived with the victims was unharmed. A culture clash separates Californias capital from the Silicon Valley companies that are transforming the states economy. Technology entrepreneurs move fast and see rewards for disrupting the status quo. In Sacramento, however, decisions unfurl slowly, with lots of pressure to keep things the way they are. The divide is significant because the stakes are high: A bill likely to spark a big fight in Sacramento in 2016 strikes at the core of the business model for companies like Uber, the app-based service that relies on freelance drivers, rather than employees, to provide rides. Sacramento is often a challenging place for business interests to be successful. That certainly impacts the innovation economy, said Carl Guardino, president of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a trade association that lobbies for tech companies, including Uber. Though politicians seem fascinated by emerging companies, Guardino said he sees the need for a bridge to be built between our states capital and our innovation capital, where both sides will do better in understanding each other. For Uber, Guardino said the bridge builder will likely be Aaron McLear, a Sacramento insider and former press secretary to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. McLear is moving his young family to San Francisco to start a new job heading Ubers West Coast public affairs team. McLear and Uber declined to comment on their plans, but Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, said she noticed that McLear just started following me on Twitter and liking me on Facebook. Gonzalez has announced plans to introduce a bill that would have huge implications for Uber and other companies that use independent contractors, rather than employees, to provide services. Uber is already facing a lawsuit that claims its drivers should be classified as employees. Gonzalezs proposal takes a different approach by allowing independent contractors to form unions and collectively bargain. The Seattle City Council in December passed a similar ordinance, becoming the first city in the country to give bargaining rights to freelance drivers. With policy fights in cities, statehouses and courts, 2016 looms as a challenging year for Uber. McLears hiring comes as the company is overhauling its policy and communications department and beefing up its political prowess. In 2014, Uber hired David Plouffe, an adviser to President Barack Obama. In 2015, the company added former Rep. Howard Berman, D-Los Angeles, to the roster of lobbyists retained to do its bidding in Sacramento. Berman served a decade in the Legislature followed by 30 years in Congress. He lost re-election in 2012, but was supported by labor unions that have clout in Sacramento. In hiring McLear, the company gains a different kind of player, one experienced in image-building and savvy about todays Sacramento. He knows the power dynamics in the statehouse. He has good relationships with the Capitol press corps. Hes close to business interests including oil and health care that are influential in Sacramento. For a company thats run into political challenges during its rapid growth, McLear will likely serve as an interpreter between two different cultures who speak different languages, Guardino said. It wont be his first time connecting groups with disparate ideas. McLear encouraged fellow Republicans to embrace same-sex marriage rights as a member of Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry. He was the lead strategist for Neel Kashkari, the ex-Pimco executive and Californias Republican gubernatorial candidate last year, whose campaign worked to make the GOP appealing to immigrants and young people. And despite a resume long on Republican politics, McLear ran an independent campaign funded largely by tech moguls Ron Conway and Sean Parker that helped elect Democrat Ed Lee as San Francisco mayor in 2011. McLear, however, will face challenges as he works to bridge tech and politics in California. He is a Republican in a state dominated by Democrats. He is distant from organized labor. And because of term limits, many of todays legislators were elected after McLear left the governors office at the end of 2010. Gonzalez, who was elected in 2013, said the evolution toward an economy with millions of workers who dont get the benefits of being an employee such as minimum wage or workers compensation if theyre injured on the job will burden Californias safety net. She wants independent contractors to be able to bargain together, even if theyre not employees. Im trying to go to the heart of the issue, to spark a discussion, Gonzalez said. Lets catch up with what the economy has done so everyone can be protected, most of all taxpayers. Labor unions are lukewarm on the proposal so far. While they like the idea of giving Uber drivers the right to organize, theyre concerned that the bill could cement their status as freelancers. Were still of the position that they are employees of the company, said Steve Smith, spokesman for the California Labor Federation. Unions are developing legislation for 2016 that would regulate the wild, wild West thats going on with this gig economy, Smith said. Uber to us is a symptom of something bigger: The flow away from the traditional employee-employer relationship to something that is more insecure. Coming soon: a counter-message from Aaron McLear. CALmatters is a nonprofit journalism venture dedicated to exploring state policies and politics. Contact the writer: laurel@calmatters.org, @LaurelRosenhall In todays world of Tinder, Grindr and match.com, more of us meet our spouses from websites and apps than ever before. If youve ever done it, youre familiar with how the process works if youre physically attracted to their profile picture, you read their biography to see if you have anything in common, if you do, you say hello, exchange pleasantries and then youre off to the races. But before you actually end up meeting them in person, my guess is that you check out their social media accounts. This lets you see more photos, verify claims about educational background and work history and gives you more confidence that theyre not an ax murderer. If youve done this before, youve compiled more research on your date than the U.S. government does for prospective immigrants. According the ABC News, the U.S. had a secret policy up until 2014 where officials deliberately ignored social media posts while vetting visa applications. The Obama administration was insistent on this because they were afraid of a civil-liberties backlash and bad public relations. Since the San Bernardino shooting that left 14 people dead and 22 wounded, we have learned that one of the shooters, Tashfeen Malik, had a long history of posting radical and incendiary remarks online prior to passing three different background checks and being granted a K-1 visa. The radicalization process was fully complete prior to the Pakistani-born immigrant being allowed into the United States. In the aftermath of the ABC News report, the government has disputed whatever or not her anti-American, pro-jihadist screeds were posted in a public or private forum. But in the grand scheme of things it really doesnt matter because officials conducting her background check wouldnt have been able to investigate either one. In response, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., demanded that the U.S. immediately initiate a program that would check the social media sites of those admitted on visas. He told ABC News, Had they checked out Tashfeen Malik maybe those people in San Bernardino would be alive. Additionally, the New York Times reported that we dont check the social media accounts of prospective immigrants for two other reasons we dont have the manpower to do it, and so many of them say such negative things about the U.S. its impossible to tell if theyre members of ISIS or just a run-of-the-mill America hater. Heres the Times explaining our dilemma, Social media comments, by themselves, however, are not always definitive evidence. In Pakistan as in the United States there is no shortage of crass and inflammatory language. And it is often difficult to distinguish Islamist sentiments and those driven by political hostility toward the United States. President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson have rightly faced criticism for our idiotic policy of banning investigators from looking at social media websites. However, their critics are missing a key point The goal should not just be to find out if prospective immigrants are members of ISIS, lets not forget, Tashfeen Malik got her citizenship well before the rise of ISIS, we should be spying on them to weed out any immigrants who are hostile to the U.S. If we let people into the country who already hate us, theyre prime targets to become even more radicalized once they get here. And after you grant openly hostile individuals with American citizenship, they have the same constitutional rights as the rest of us, which ties the hands of law enforcement, who have the responsibility to keep us safe. It may be cruel or politically incorrect to say, but if you hate our guts, we shouldnt devalue American citizenship by letting you live here. Staff opinion columnist John Phillips can be heard weekdays at 3 p.m. on The Drive Home with Jillian Barberie and John Phillips on KABC/AM 790. We recently spotlighted eye-opening reports on government waste from the offices of Republican Sens. James Lankford of Oklahoma and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., also recently issued a report entitled, with a nod to the new Star Wars movie, Wastebook: The Farce Awakens. Sen. Flakes Wastebook includes 100 examples of egregious, outrageous and unnecessary government spending totaling more than $100 billion. To see so much money so outlandishly wasted, its clear that Washingtons ballyhooing over budget austerity is a farce, Sen. Flake said in a statement. Among some of the more expensive items are the tens of billions of dollars wasted each year on improper payments, from student loans to Social Security payments to bogus tax benefits to numerous welfare program disbursements. The Department of Housing and Urban Development spent $448 million on housing subsidies for at least 106,000 ineligible households, while many others remain on long wait lists for housing. Then there is the more than $1.1 billion spent over the past two years subsidizing the tobacco industry, while simultaneously spending hundreds of millions of dollars on anti-smoking campaigns. The federal government spends $110 million a year to maintain more than 360 empty, unused and excess buildings in Afghanistan, and the Department of Veterans Affairs spent $40 million on artwork and junkets to conferences while veterans continue to struggle to receive adequate health care. Some examples are in the realm of the ridiculous, such as $1 million to train monkeys to run on a treadmill in a hamster ball, $115,000 in National Endowment for the Arts grants for several puppet shows and $300,000 for a cheese-themed retail store and heritage center in Wisconsin. California got its share of the pork, too, including $65,000 for an extra virgin olive oil competition at the 2015 California State Fair and $1.8 million to build a zip line on the La Jolla Indian Reservation in San Diego County. As humorous as some of these examples are, they make it hard to take members of Congress seriously when they talk about rooting out waste, fraud and abuse and addressing the nearly $19 trillion national debt. SAN ANTONIO Immigration agents over the weekend conducted the first raids targeting the deportation of families who flocked across the United States southern border over the past two years, a senior government official said Monday. Jeh Johnson, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that the 121 people rounded up during raids in Georgia, Texas and North Carolina were primarily members of Central American families that crossed into the U.S. via Mexico since May 2014. Most were placed in family detention centers in Texas to await deportation. In the statement, Johnson said the raids should come as no surprise, adding that he has said publicly for months that individuals who constitute enforcement priorities, including families and unaccompanied children, will be removed. Those targeted in the raids had been issued final orders of removal by immigration courts and had exhausted other legal remedies, including claims for asylum. The latest actions affect only a fraction of the more than 100,000 Central American family members, mostly mothers with children, who crossed into the U.S. during an immigration surge that began in the spring of 2014. The surge has been linked to a rise in gang-related violence in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, while many migrants from these countries have also claimed asylum due to domestic violence, or are seeking to reunite with family members already in the United States. U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement did not say further raids were planned for the coming days and weeks. However, ICEs official position since November 2014 is that it would continue to conduct enforcement actions daily. In a news conference Monday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters that politics did not factor into the decision by Homeland Security officials to conduct raids, despite increased debate about immigration enforcement and policy by Republicans on the presidential campaign trail. Guatemalas Foreign Ministry said via Twitter that it was monitoring the situation, and promised to offer consular assistance and protection to its citizens living overseas. It advised Guatemalans in the U.S. that they need not open their doors to immigration agents unless the officers have a warrant signed by a judge. It also recommended that they carry with them at all times phone numbers of family members, a lawyer and the nearest consulate. You have rights that must be respected. Immigration agents have the obligation to respect your basic rights, as well as treat you and your family members in a dignified manner, especially when it comes to children, the Foreign Ministry said. The government of El Salvador issued similar advice to any of its citizens facing enforcement action in the U.S. SAN ANTONIO A federal official said immigration agents conducted raids in several states over the weekend and detained 121 adults and children who have been slated for deportation. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement Monday that those detained in the raids in Georgia, Texas and North Carolina were primarily members of Central American families that crossed the U.S. border with Mexico since May 2014. Most were placed in family detention centers in Texas to await deportation. The detentions constitute a small portion of the more than 100,000 Central Americans who crossed into the U.S. during an immigration surge that began in 2014. Johnson did not say whether more raids were planned. The families targeted in the raids had been issued final removal orders by immigration courts. ATLANTA Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal rescinded an executive order trying to stop resettlement of Syrian refugees on Monday, five days after Attorney General Sam Olens issued an official opinion that he didnt have that authority. Deals one-sentence order cited Olens opinion, and gave no further explanation. Olens wrote in the opinion released last week that he wasnt aware of any law or agreement that would permit a state to carve out refugees from particular countries from participation in the refugee resettlement program, no matter how well-intentioned or justified the desire to carve out such refugees might be. Accordingly, it is my official opinion that both federal law and the States agreement to act as the state refugee resettlement coordinator prevent the State from denying federally-funded benefits to Syrian refugees lawfully admitted into the United States, he wrote. Deal, a Republican, directed state agencies on Nov. 16 to halt any involvement in the acceptance of Syrian refugees until federal authorities changed the process for vetting them. At the time, he and other governors issuing similar directions cited a terrorist attack three days earlier in Paris. The commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services on Nov. 18 directed agency staff not to take or process new applications for any assistance for Syrian refugees, including food stamps. The department received a letter a week later from the federal food stamp program, warning that federal law prevents refusal of applications based on national origin. Joshua Sieweke, director of the Atlanta office of the refugee resettlement organization World Relief, said a Syrian family a married couple and their 4-year-old son arrived Nov. 30 in Georgia. They applied for food stamps and Medicaid benefits, and both are still pending with the state. In the meantime, federal funds and volunteer donations helped the family secure an apartment, food and other needs, he said. Im hoping now they will truly feel the full welcome they deserve, Sieweke said. Their experience wont be just based on the kindness of volunteers but also will extend to the state. Immigration legal experts immediately questioned governors authority to prevent resettlement. Deal defended the order but on Dec. 7 asked Olens to weigh in. Olens wrote in his opinion that the federal government has sole authority when placing refugees. He said the state could end its agreement with the federal government to operate the refugee resettlement program but still would have to provide benefits. AP-WF-01-04-16 2132GMT Rail Division head unsure if eminent domain an option Direct intermodal rail access and new service offerings. Savings in logistics costs. Reduced truck traffic on Interstates 95 and 85. Greater potential access for state ports. Over 1,500 new direct and indirect jobs in North Carolina. After receiving the CSX study, Worley said NCDOT determined that it should commission an independent assessment of the facility and hired WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff to conduct it. Job estimates unclear RALEIGH The North Carolina Department of Transportation plans to continue its evaluation of CSX's request for $100 million toward a Johnston County intermodal project even though a spokesman for Gov. Pat McCrory said on Jan. 26 the proposed rail hub "does not appear to be a viable option."NCDOT Rail Division director Paul Worley told Carolina Journal on Friday that his office would evaluate CSX's request using the Strategic Mobility Formula the state uses to rank transportation projects. Worley said the final list of projects selected for funding would be released in March.The proposed 450-acre project site is located northeast of Selma, just outside the city limits, adjoining an existing CSX rail line. The facility would allow CSX to shift more container freight shipments now using only trucks to a combination of trucks and rail.Announcing the rail hub Jan. 14, McCrory said, "over time the project could bring 1,500 statewide jobs to North Carolina and provide an estimated $329 million in public benefits to the state." Soon after, the affected landowners learned that CSX threatened to use eminent domain to acquire property if landowners didn't want to sell.After an emergency closed-session meeting Jan. 20, less than a week after McCrory announced the project, the Johnston County Board of Commissioners issued a statement opposing both the project at the current location and the railroad company's threats to seize property if needed.In response to CJ's request for information on the job creation claims associated with the project, Worley's office shared a report titled "Project Scorpion: Evaluation of a Proposed Intermodal Terminal (CCX)." Since the announcement, officials have referred to the project as Carolina Connector, or CCX.Worley said DOT paid for the report, which was written by WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, a Montreal-based engineering consulting firm with an office in Raleigh. The 91-page report is dated October 2015 with revisions in January 2016. It also is marked "DRAFT." Worley said the report probably would be updated before it is finalized and used in the evaluation process for state funding.Worley said that in June 2014, when CSX brought the project to the Rail Division, the company said it would need the state to contribute $100 million to the $271-million project."We will continue conversations with CSX. We will see if they come up with other sites. Whatever they come up with, we will evaluate it," Worley said.The Rail Division's mission statement says: "Since 1977, the Rail Division has focused on the safe and efficient movement of people and goods on North Carolina's railroads through freight, passenger and safety programs, supporting job creation and economic growth."Worley said the report did not address the possibility of eminent domain for the project. "We are not at that point," he said, adding that he was unaware if eminent domain remains an option. "I don't know. I am not an attorney." He also said the Rail Division never has been involved in a project of this magnitude.The report stated that CSX had conducted a study demonstrating the benefits of a North Carolina facility to the state and the broader U.S. economy. The CSX study concluded numerous benefits would result from the project, including:The conclusion: "The proposed CCX terminal in eastern North Carolina would prove to stimulate economic growth and reduce the adverse impacts of truck transportation producing significant benefits to the state. Increased employment and associated economic benefits would be a result of terminal construction, terminal operations, and local logistics and manufacturing development. The favorable economic impact would be complemented by benefits associated with the reduction in truck traffic including reduced pavement damage, congestion, emissions, and motor vehicle accidents."While McCrory, CSX, and most media outlets have said the project would create 1,500 jobs, the Project Scorpion report details much smaller numbers. (See page 35.)The report estimated that the project's direct, indirect, and "induced" jobs - jobs attributed to local businesses from the spending of employees and customers of the rail hub - would total 452 by 2019 and 632 by 2035. The report then compared those estimates to estimates from CSX's report. CSX estimated that direct, indirect, and induced jobs would total 538 by 2018 and 788 by 2035.In a telephone interview, Worley and officials from WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff could not explain where the 1,500 job figure used by McCrory and most media outlets originated. They also acknowledged the study did not account for lost jobs that would occur in the trucking industry if the project proved to be as successful as the study predicted. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has released its proposed regulations for driverless cars, after three years and nearly a year after its statutory deadline to do so. In typical California government fashion, the rules are heavy-handed and will stifle innovation. Among its 22 pages of draft regulations, the DMV would require numerous applications, permits and certifications; mandate third-party testing of vehicles and force manufacturers to submit monthly reports summarizing accidents, cyberattacks and the total number of hours and miles driven. Consumers would have to complete an autonomous-technology training program to obtain a special certificate from the DMV. In a blatant violation of contract rights, the rules would also prohibit manufacturers from selling autonomous vehicles to the public, forcing them instead to merely lease the vehicles. Curiously, and crucially, the driverless-car regulations would prevent cars from actually being driverless, requiring an operator to be present in the vehicle and be capable of taking control in the event of a technology failure or other emergency. This flies in the face of the 2012 legislation calling for the agency to develop regulations for autonomous vehicles with or without the presence of a driver inside the vehicle. Chris Urmson, the head of Googles self-driving car program, expressed his displeasure with the proposed regulations in a recent blog post. This maintains the same old status quo and falls short on allowing this technology to reach its full potential, while excluding those who need to get around but cannot drive, he wrote. [W]eve seen in our own testing that drivers cant be trusted to dip in and out of the task of driving when the car is encouraging them to sit back and relax, he added. We share Googles disappointment and strongly encourage the state to reverse course on its burdensome regulations so that it may allow technological advancements to flourish and improve consumers lives, rather than motivate innovative companies to flee to states, like Texas, that offer greater economic opportunity and freedom. Comedian, Las Vegas headliner and part-time Orange County resident Rita Rudner will return to the Laguna Playhouse stage this week, joined by Emmy Award-winning actor Charles Shaughnessy, for the U.S. premiere of Act 3 Directed by Laguna Playhouse veteran Martin Bergman, who is Rudners husband, the dramatic comedy will open with previews Wednesday and regular performances Saturday through Jan. 31. Written by David Ambrose and Claudia Nellens, the two-person show presents a dialogue between spouses who have been together for many years. The characters performed by Shaughnessy and Rudner are named He and She, representing the two genders and their different dynamics. Its the universal he and she, so everyone can relate, said Shaughnessy, who played the role of Maxwell Sheffield in the CBS show The Nanny. I think the audience is going to really love how familiar the characters are. The show is going to amuse them because they wont believe its about them, theyll believe its about their friends. Rudner is making a quick return to the Laguna stage after her New Years Eve show, Lets Party Like Its 2016. She is a regular at the playhouse, starring in numerous solo performances and plays, including the Bergman-directed Tickled Pink in 2012, based on her best-selling novel of that name. I love coming back to Laguna because Im friends with everyone here, so its like coming home, said Rudner, who currently splits her time living in Monarch Beach and Las Vegas with her husband and daughter Molly. This is my first time Ive ever done a two-headed play, and working with Charlie has been a dream. We are having way too much fun; in fact, we want to give our paychecks back every week because were having so much fun. Although this is the first time the two actors have worked together, it was only a matter of time for this collaboration to happen. Longtime friends, Shaughnessy and Bergman attended college at the University of Cambridge during the 1970s, and over the years Shaughnessy and Rudner have come across one another in show business. Weve rushed past each other on several occasions, so its a pinnacle time of our careers to finally work together, said Shaughnessy. Being here in Laguna and doing a play this fun with each other is really why we do this. The show is about two people in the third act of their relationship, which includes secrets and other tribulations. Rudner describes the script as a combination of playwrights Neil Simon and Tom Stoppard, with funny exchanges between the characters but also serious undertones about male and female relationships. I would like couples in the audience to go home and argue about the show, then sleep in separate rooms, she joked. The set of the play is described as mobile and modern in an abstract format, which Rudner said Bergman created to show that the characters are a representation of modern marriages. The show runs approximately 100 minutes and does not have an intermission, which Shaughnessy says is great for those who want to be out of the theater in time for dinner. I believe the audience is going to have as good of time watching it as we are having onstage, said Rudner. Its a very adventurous play and I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised. Contact the writer: jmoe@ocregister.com TEHRAN, Iran Allies of Saudi Arabia followed the kingdoms lead and began scaling back diplomatic ties to Iran on Monday after the ransacking of Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, violence sparked by the Saudi execution of a prominent opposition Shiite cleric. Sudan and the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain said they would sever ties with Iran, as Saudi Arabia did late Sunday. Within hours, the United Arab Emirates announced it would downgrade ties to Tehran to the level of the charge daffaires and would only focus on economic issues. Somalia also issued a statement criticizing Iran. The execution Saturday of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others convicted of terror charges the largest mass execution carried out by Saudi Arabia since 1980 laid bare the sectarian divisions gripping the region. Shiite protesters took to the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan, while Arab allies of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia lined up behind the kingdom. The escalating tensions between the two longtime regional rivals looks to further imperil efforts to end the wars in Syria and Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and Iran back rival sides. Al-Nimr was a central figure in the Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabias Shiite minority until his arrest in 2012. He was convicted of terrorism charges but denied advocating violence. Bahrains Sunni monarchy, which quashed mass protests by the Shiite majority in 2011 with the help of Saudi and Emirati forces, enjoys particularly close relations with Saudi Arabia, and shares Riyadhs view that Shiite Iran is intent on destabilizing the region through its various proxies. Bahraini officials have accused Iran of training militants and attempting to smuggle arms into the country, which hosts the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. In October, Bahrain ordered the acting Iranian charge daffaires to leave within 72 hours and recalled its own ambassador after alleging Iran sponsored subversion and terrorism and funneled arms to militants. Sudans Foreign Ministry announced an immediate severing of ties over the diplomatic mission attacks. The statement carried by its state-run news agency said it made the decision in solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of Iranian schemes. The UAE, a country of seven emirates, has a long trading history with Iran and is home to many ethnic Iranians. It said it would reduce the number of diplomats in Iran and would recall its ambassador in the light of Irans continuous interference in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels. Somalia also criticized the attack on Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran as a flagrant violation of international law. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the cut in relations late Sunday and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home. The move could affect the annual hajj pilgrimage. Lawmaker Mohammad Ali Esfanani, spokesman of the Judicial and Legal Committee of the Iranian parliament, said security issues and the fact that Iranian pilgrims wouldnt have consular protection inside the kingdom made halting the pilgrimage likely, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran have yet to make any formal announcement about how the diplomatic spat would affect the hajj, a pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. The hajj this year likely will begin in early September, though Muslims travel to the holy sites all year long. When Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran from 1988 to 1991, Iran stopped its pilgrims from attending the hajj. With Saudi diplomatic missions closed in Iran, it will make it difficult for Iranians to get visas for the hajj. World powers have sought to calm the tensions. Germany called on both sides to mend ties, with government spokesman Steffen Seibert telling reporters that relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran are of fundamental importance for solving the crises in Syria and Yemen, and for the stability of the entire region. A Russian state news agency on Monday quoting an unnamed senior diplomat as saying Moscow is ready to act as a mediator in the escalating conflict. RIA Novosti did not say whether Moscow had made the mediation proposal to either side. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the Obama administration believes diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences. We will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions, Kirby said. Earlier Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by phone and urged Tehran to defuse the tensions and protect the Saudi diplomats, according to a statement. The disruption in relations may have implications for peace efforts in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and others spent significant time trying to bring the countries to the negotiating table and they both sat together at talks aimed at ending the civil war. Last month, Saudi Arabia convened a meeting of Syrian opposition figures that was designed to create a delegation to attend peace talks with the Syrian government that are supposed to begin in mid-January. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Saudi Arabia supports the rebels trying to overthrow him. Meanwhile, al-Nimrs family is holding three days of mourning at a mosque in al-Awamiya village in the kingdoms al-Qatif region in predominantly Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia. The sheikhs brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, told The Associated Press that Saudi officials informed his family that the cleric had been buried in an undisclosed cemetery. Early Monday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said a shooting targeting security forces in the village killed a man and wounded a child. It offered no motive for the attack, nor for another it said saw a mob beat and briefly kidnap a man driving through the area. Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Abdullah al-Shihri in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Malak Harb in Dubai, Nour Youssef and Maamoun Youssef in Cairo, Frank Jordans in Berlin and Abdi Guled contributed to this report. Saudi Arabias recent execution of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr could escalate sectarian tensions in the Muslim world even further. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Sunday that Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by a Sunni monarchy, would face divine vengeance for the killing of the outspoken cleric, which was part of a mass execution of 47 men. Al-Nimr had advocated for greater political rights for Shiites in Saudi Arabia and surrounding countries. Saudi Arabia had accused him of inciting violence against the state. Here is a primer on the basic differences between Sunni and Shia Islam. Q: What caused the split? A: A schism emerged after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in A.D. 632. He died without appointing a successor to lead the Muslim community, and disputes arose over who should shepherd the new and rapidly growing faith. Some believed that a new leader should be chosen by consensus; others thought that only the prophets descendants should become caliph. The title passed to a trusted aide, Abu Bakr, though some thought it should have gone to Ali, the prophets cousin and son-in-law. Ali eventually did become caliph after Abu Bakrs two successors were assassinated. After Ali also was assassinated, with a poison-laced sword at the mosque in Kufa, in what is now Iraq, his sons Hasan and then Hussein claimed the title. But Hussein and many of his relatives were massacred in Karbala, Iraq, in 680. His martyrdom became a central tenet to those who believed that Ali should have succeeded the prophet (it is mourned every year during the month of Muharram). The followers became known as Shiites, a contraction of the phrase Shiat Ali, or followers of Ali. The Sunnis, however, regard the first three caliphs before Ali as rightly guided and themselves as the true adherents to the Sunnah, or the prophets tradition. Sunni rulers embarked on sweeping conquests that extended the caliphate into North Africa and Europe. The last caliphate ended with the fall of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. Q: How do their beliefs differ? A: The Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam encompass a wide spectrum of doctrine, opinion and schools of thought. The branches are in agreement on many aspects of Islam, but there are considerable disagreements within each. Both branches include worshippers who run the gamut from secular to fundamentalist. Shiites consider Ali and the leaders who came after him as imams. The 12th imam, a boy, is believed to have vanished in the ninth century in Iraq after his father was murdered. Shiites known as Twelvers anticipate his return as the Mahdi, or Messiah. Because of the different paths the two sects took, Sunnis emphasize Gods power in the material world, sometimes including the public and political realm, while Shiites place great value in martyrdom and sacrifice. Q: Which sect is larger, and where do they live? A: More than 85 percent of the worlds 1.5 billion Muslims are Sunni. They live across the Arab world, as well in countries like Turkey, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. Iran, Iraq and Bahrain are largely Shiite. The Saudi royal family, which practices an austere and conservative strand of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism, controls Islams holiest shrines, Mecca and Medina. Karbala, Kufa and Najaf in Iraq are revered shrines for the Shiites. Saudi Arabia and Iran, the dominant Sunni and Shiite powers in the Middle East, often take opposing sides in regional conflicts. In Yemen, a Shiite movement from that countrys north, the Houthis, overthrew a Sunni-dominated government, leading to an invasion by a Saudi-led coalition. In Syria, which has a Sunni majority, the Alawite Shiite sect of President Bashar Assad, which has long dominated the government, clings to power amid a bloody civil war. And in Iraq, bitter resentments between the Shiite-led government and Sunni communities have contributed to victories by the Islamic State. LOS ANGELES A leaking natural gas well that has displaced thousands of people from a Los Angeles neighborhood lacks a working safety valve that could stop the release of fumes, a lawyer representing residents said. The valve might not have prevented the months-long leak, but it could have stopped the flow of fumes into the community of Porter Ranch, said attorney Brian Panish, who represents residents suing over the months-long leak. There would have been a small runoff of some gas and it would have been over, Panish told the Los Angeles Times about how the valve would work. All these people wouldnt have had to leave and they wouldnt be sick. Southern California Gas Co. confirmed that its well at the Aliso Canyon Underground Storage Facility did not have the deep subsurface valve, the Times reported Monday. Such a valve is not required by law, company spokeswoman Melissa Bailey told the newspaper via email. Until the facts are determined and this assessment is completed, it is premature to comment further on the well or the cause of the incident, Bailey said. In the interim, SoCal Gas will continue to focus its efforts on stopping the leak as soon as possible. Attorneys for residents said the company failed to replace a deep subsurface valve that was removed in 1979. The leak has forced the relocation of residents who said the stench made them sick. Workers have been unable to plug the leak and instead have undertaken the painstaking task of drilling two relief wells. Officials with SoCal Gas estimate the new wells may not be finished until the end of February or later. An amended lawsuit filed against SoCal Gas on Dec. 29 cited failure by the company to follow laws protecting the community and the removal of the safety valve, which would have been at the base of the well about 8,500 feet below the surface. Meet Mike Wolfe, the man who has not only embraced his bushy back, but also uses it as a means of creative expression. He comes up with quirky designs and gets his old friend Tyler Harding to manscape them into his back hair every few months. Up until a few years ago, Mike, like millions of other men, was embarrassed by the thick overgrowth on his back and felt compelled to get rid of it. In fact, he was actually afraid to admit it to his wife on their first date 16 years ago. He said, I have to tell you something, recalled Jamie, Mikes wife. And Im kind of getting nervous, my hearts beating a little bit. He leans over and whispers, Ive got back hair. Photo: KTVB But when he reached the wise old age of 35, Mike decided that it was finally his turn to shine. So instead of shunning his back hair, he set up a salon of sorts in his garage, where he could use all that hair to do something creative. He started with a sketch, and got Tyler Harding, an old friend from college, to carve the design into his back hair. This was in 2008. Mike says that he had to work up the courage to ask Tyler for help, given the rather delicate nature of his request. But he finally did and Tyler agreed to do it right away. I said, Hey, Tyler, I need an American Flag on my back, and he just laughed and said, I got this, Mike recalled. They called that first creation Am-hair-ica the Beautiful, and they havent looked back since. Photo: Mike Wolfe/CalendHAIR It takes Mike four months to grow out the canvas of hair on his back, after which Tyler gets down to trimming it into a recognisable pattern. He then photographs his creation and all the pictures go towards the making of their annual project CalendHAIR. Each month has a different theme Happy New YHAIR for JanuHAIRY, HAIRpid for FebruHAIRY, EastHAIR Bunny for April and so on. The 2016 CalendHAIR is priced at $20 in the US an $30 in other countries. Tyler, who used to be a graphic artist but now works as the assistant principal at Caldwell High School, said: Im just trying to find my niche, trying to find what feels good. Photo: Mike Wolfe/CalendHAIR Its disgusting, Mike added. But its funny. You cant deny its funny. Meanwhile, Jamie thinks its all because of her: Maybe I shouldnt have given him so much confidence in his back hair. Some of the proceeds from the sale of CalendHAIR will be donated to Gates of Hope, a charity that helps an orphanage in Kenya. And Mike and Tyler plan to spend the rest on a Hair-cation of a Wife-time for them and their wives who have put up with all their nonsense. via KTVB A new bar in Melbourne is dedicated entirely to the balding and temperamental Seinfeld character George Costanza. Georges Bar, located in the north-east suburb of Fitzroy, features Costanza-inspired decor, including posters and quotes. A sign outside the bar even encourages patrons to Be more like George. The owners came up with the idea because they like Seinfeld and couldnt get over how perfect George was as a bar theme. I think he is probably the most suited of any of the characters, explained co-owner Dave Barrett. His humour is fairly dark and dry and fits in with a bar, it probably works more than any of the other characters would. Also, when we were developing this new venue, one of the names we came up with was Georges, and we to some extent worked backwards on ways to market that and so to some extent that is where George Costanza came into it as well, he added. Their marketing strategy has apparently worked barely two weeks after opening, stories about the quirky theme have gone viral online. Photo: Tumblr Some of the Costanza-inspired decor includes quotes like If you believe it, its not a lie, and Everyone must like me, I must be liked. The theme has influenced the menu as well, with dishes like $5 toasties because George is a bit tight on paying for things. All the toasties are named after him the Castanza, the Mom and Pop, the Quitter, the Art Vandalay. Photo: Georges Bar/Instagram Well be continually doing things and layering the theme, Barrett added. Theres a whole bunch of autographed photos Ive bought that are all in transit, that will all get added to as well. The owners also have plans to bring in Costanza-inspired artwork from local artists in the future. One guy contacted me last night who lives in Melbourne and who is in the middle of eight different George Costanza paintings. We are talking about doing a show with him. Photo: Georges Bar/Instagram Despite the homage hes paying to a popular character of a hit show, Barrett says hes aware that its not solely going to contribute to the success of his bar. Cheesy bars in Melbourne arent really a thing, he said. After 20 years in this business I think Ive figured that out so were making it a solid bar in its own right as well. Photo: Georges Bar/Facebook Sources: The Sydney Morning Herald, The New Daily Jessica Del Guercio Lifestyle publicist Jessica Del Guercio has launched a new agency, Evoke Marketing. The boutique New York shop will focus on food/beverage, travel and lifestyle PR and social media services, with an emphasis on hotels and restaurant openings. Evoke Founder Del Guercio, who also serves as Managing Partner, was previously Director at Current, which she joined in 2014. At Current Del Guercio handled accounts such as the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Setai Miami Beach and Azamara Club Cruises. Prior to Current, Del Guercio was Senior Account Supervisor of Travel at Magrino, where she worked with Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, The Ranch at Live Oak/Malibu, Philadelphias Rittenhouse, and the Castle Hill Inn in Newport, RI. Evoke recently signed on two clients: Mochidoki, a New York-based Japanese ice cream company; and Cooperstown Distillery, an Upstate New York micro-distillery that offers handcrafted spirits. The agency also works with Upstate camping retreat Orenda, and the Adirondack Brewery, a microbrewery located in Lake George, New York. Evokes new headquarters is located in New York Citys Murray Hill neighborhood. The previous poll on Eastern NC NOW showcased what are many of OUR Constitutional Republic's certain obstacles to remain viable, where the top encumbrance to that continuance as a functioning Republic was the Biden /Harris Wide Open Southern Border. Understanding this overwhelming concern to real America citizens: Do you believe it important to challenge the veracity of those legislated concerns of Democratic Socialists by transporting Illegal Migrants to their Sanctuary cities, counties and states for their direct care? Yes; test the depth of their sense of well being by giving Democratic Socialists an opportunity to enact all Sanctuary provisions in their communities to test how much they truly do care. No; the Biden /Harris Wide Open Southern Border Project is designed to only inundate "Red States" to begin their Demographic Upheaval for the benefit of we Democratic Socialists, our politics. Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph. Haile Selassie Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... Students studying Warren Buffetts investment philosophy have picked 10 companies that they think he would like, and a special $50,000 portfolio fund at the University of Nebraska Foundation puts up the money to see if theyre right. With Buffetts concepts in mind, teams of graduate students at the universitys Omaha business school compile information about companies that might attract investments by Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the conglomerate that Buffett heads. If a teams research report earns a top grade, the portfolio buys shares in the company, using the donated money to give the students a real-life chance to invest like Buffett. Since the investment fund started in the fall of 2013, seven of the 10 choices are in the red, including one that has dropped by half and two that are down by one-third. The biggest winner of the bunch has gained about 19 percent. The 10 picks are very Buffett-esque, but its not easy to duplicate Buffetts success, said Robert Miles, who has written books about Buffett and who teaches the class, titled the Genius of Warren Buffett. The University of Nebraska at Omaha class is part of the College of Business Administrations executive MBA program. I dont think most of them will beat Berkshire Hathaway, Miles said, because Berkshire has more financial resources and decades of stock-picking experience by Buffett and his two money managers, Ted Weschler and Todd Combs. They spend hundreds of hours evaluating potential investments before making a choice. These students have had 36 hours of training, Miles said. Theyre better off being an anesthesiologist or working for Gallup or the power company. As for the results so far, he said, I would say, more time, please. The stocks in the fund will remain in the portfolio for at least 10 years. Thats in keeping with the long-term focus of investments by Buffett, an advocate of the joys of compounding who has said his favorite period for holding an investment is forever. You dont flip these things, Miles said. You buy them and hold them. Andrew Gassman, who sells advertising for Cox Media, took the Buffett class in the fall of 2014 and graduated in 2015 with an MBA. His Buffett team picked Cummins Inc., an industrial engine manufacturer, as a potential Berkshire investment. He believed in the research results so strongly that he bought shares of Cummins stock himself. Its been a tough year for them, he said, with the stock price down nearly 40 percent in 2015 because of a slump in global manufacturing. It hasnt done really well this year, but our investment was a long-term type of thing. I fully expect it to be a strong play. The teams research was a good starting point, Gassman said. It helped me immensely understand the value of a company and the methods of valuation, some of the foundational beliefs that Warren tries to use. But he said the students work was compressed to produce a presentation by the class deadline. It may not be as much time as you would spend if it was your own money you were playing with. Its always good to do your own research. The Genius of Buffett Fund was Miles idea, and he has donated $29,000 since it started. Others have made donations, too, including UNO Business Dean Louis Pol and his wife, Janet, and former students of the class. Before the fund started, one of the student teams chose Deere & Co. as a Berkshire-style investment. A few weeks later, Berkshire announced that it had, indeed, purchased Deere stock. It was proof that its possible to teach Buffetts methods, Miles said. The students look for companies that would meet Berkshire investment requirements, including factors such as being large, understandable businesses with high profits and having good management and durable competitive advantages. Buffett says such characteristics are hallmarks of a company that can succeed over 10 or 20 years, or longer, and eventually its stock price will reflect its true long-term value. Sue Kutschkau, a development director for the University of Nebraska Foundation, said setting up the fund to hold the investments was an exception approved by the foundations board of directors. Generally, when we get a stock, we sell it right away, she said, and put the money into the foundations regular accounts. But because the Genius of Buffett Fund has an educational role, the foundations leaders agreed to let the stocks ride as a separate portfolio. In promotional material seeking donations to the fund, a disclaimer says that the fund isnt likely to outperform a low-cost stock index fund or Berkshire stock and that the university doesnt recommend or guarantee any of the stocks in the portfolio. Nor is the fund affiliated with or reviewed by Buffett or Berkshire, the university says, adding that the fund is for educational purposes only. After 10 years, up to 10 percent of the portfolio will be sold, with the proceeds going to support the executive MBA program and the rest held to generate future support. The cash and the stocks are held in a TD Ameritrade account, overseen by David Volkman, chairman of the colleges finance department. Volkman said the shares performance so far has a lot to do with oil-related stocks and the declining price of petroleum, not with the analysis of the companies long-term prospects by the students, presented in reports of 40 or more pages. They do an excellent job, he said. Nobody has a crystal ball, but their long-term analysis shows that even though stocks may go down at some time, typically the good companies will come back. I expect after 10 years the portfolio will have a very attractive return. I have a feeling theyre not going to outperform Berkshire Hathaway, but it will be interesting to watch and see. The Buffett course attracts for-credit and noncredit students. In the spring, the sessions are scheduled around Berkshires annual shareholder meeting. Spring enrollment reflects the presence of shareholders who come to Omaha from around the country and from many foreign nations. Volkman said teams with foreign students often write research reports about businesses that arent traded in the United States (like a Brazilian tugboat company). If shares of foreign companies trade in U.S. markets, theyre potential investments for the class. Of the 10 investments so far, four are based in other countries Ireland, India, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Each semester, a trio of judges picks the team that makes the best research presentation. The winners split a $1,000 scholarship, also from Miles. The fall 2015 class was small four men and four women and the mens team won with its presentation about U-Hauls parent company, Amerco. But the mens tuition was paid through their employers or the GI Bill, and two of the women also had their tuition paid. So the men deferred the prize to a woman who was paying her own tuition and to a single mother, who each received $500. Said Miles: It was very moving. The Omaha World-Herald Co. is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. * * * Students in the Genius of Warren Buffett class at the University of Nebraska at Omaha used Buffetts investing philosophy to pick these stocks. Shares, purchased using donated money, are to be held and dividends reinvested for 10 years. The returns are the percentage gains or losses since purchase. The fund also invests in Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stock, which is down 2.21 percent since the fund began. How their investments are doing BP plc. -32.93% Based in London; explores, produces, processes and sells petroleum-based and energy products and services Caterpillar Inc. -36.27% Peoria, Illinois; manufactures and distributes equipment for construction, mining, transportation and industry Express Scripts Holding Co. 18.78% St. Louis; provides pharmacy benefit management services in North America Eaton Corp. -23.07% Dublin; manages power equipment for electrical, industrial, residential, hydraulic, vehicle and other markets International Flavors & Fragrances 4.89% New York City; creates, manufactures and supplies flavors and fragrances for consumer markets Kellogg Co. 11.92% Battle Creek, Michigan; manufactures and markets ready-to-eat cereal and convenience foods McKesson Corp. 2.29% San Francisco; delivers pharmaceu-ticals, medical supplies, health and beauty care products and health care Principal Financial Group Inc. -18.79% Des Moines; provides retirement, asset management, insurance and related financial services Sasol Ltd. -52.57% Johannesburg; operates integrated energy and petrochemical businesses Tata Motors Ltd. -39.73% Mumbai, India; develops, manufactures, sells and exports passenger and commercial vehicles Source: Genius of Warren Buffett Fund LINCOLN The federal judge from Nebraska who emerged as the talk of the legal community before retiring his controversial blog last year is sounding off on social media once again. Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf has recently been contributing to a blog titled Fault Lines, which defines its mission as monitoring the cracks in Americas criminal justice system. Kopf said he will reflect on general legal topics and stay away from the day-to-day workings of the courtroom, which some court staff members thought unsuitable for public dissemination. Scott Greenfield, a New York defense attorney and popular legal blogger, encouraged Kopf to give up his brief writing hiatus. Greenfield said Kopfs willingness to let lawyers and laypeople get a glimpse of judges beyond their written opinions or scholarly contributions helps encourage a better understanding of the legal system. Losing Judge Kopfs writing would be a huge loss for the law, Greenfield said. Kopf also has launched an Internet column, in which he shares personal vignettes about his life as a husband and father and days spent practicing law. He calls the blog Wednesdays with the Decently Profane. Since I had been previously indecently profane, I thought the play on words would be fun, Kopf said in an interview. He was referring to his blog, which he maintained from February 2013 until July 2015. The blog was called Hercules and the Umpire. In it, Kopf described his job as a federal trial judge and in the process he traded the judicial code of silence for what amounted to a digital bullhorn. There was the time he suggested that Congress go to hell over a budget stalemate that threatened to shut down the government. Or the posting in which he described himself as a dirty old man for leering at a young female attorney and then telling her to tone down her fashion choices or risk being called an ignorant slut behind your back. Kopf also wrote that it was time for the Supreme Court to stfu, an acronym for shut the (expletive) up. But the one that got him in hot water involved his view that Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz based on Cruzs statements about the judiciary wasnt fit to hold the office. A George Washington University law professor called out Kopf, saying the judge had violated a conduct rule that prohibits judges from opposing or endorsing political candidates. It crossed the line and I owned up to it, Kopf said, referring to an apology he published on the blog. But by July, he announced Hercules was done, a decision prompted by general agreement among court staff members that the blog was an embarrassment. While the blog is dead and wont be resurrected, Kopf said, he never vowed to quit writing. In September, he started contributing to Fault Lines, where hes one of several contributors. So far, his posts have addressed confusion in federal sentencing guidelines, defended federal prosecutors as generally ethical and forcefully denounced the danger of angry political rhetoric being directed at Muslim-Americans. His postings tend to involve more technically legal discussions, but they are still marked by his colorful opinions, humorous asides and penchant for profanity. He launched his personal blog in October. Among the posts on Decently Profane are one in which he describes losing his son in a dust devil and another where he tells about the Christmas morning he disappointed his young daughter by failing to properly construct her toy pony the night before. Greenfield, the New York attorney, said that while a few other judges will write posts that more closely resemble law review articles, Kopf is the only guy with a gavel willing to really put himself out there. Having a judge expose his human frailties and strengths makes some people feel awkward, Greenfield said. But its also what allows people to see that judges arent just cogs in a machine, but human beings who try to do their best to be fair. Some people get stuck on the frailties, that judges were supposed to maintain that degree of circumspection that would keep them aloof from the rest of humanity, he said. Others, myself included, see Judge Kopf as doing an enormous service to the law and the judiciary by removing the cloak of secrecy. Thats a view with which Kopf, 69, agrees. When he started blogging, he wanted to practice his love of writing while bringing some transparency to the judicial branch. He quoted federal Judge Richard Posner, who said the public knows more about the CIA than they do about the federal judiciary. We literally have a monopoly on the third branch of government, Kopf said. Think about that. In a democracy, thats not a particularly good thing. Thus, in my view, the more transparent judges can be, the better we all are. Contact the writer: 402-473-9587, joe.duggan@owh.com TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Allies of Saudi Arabia followed the kingdom's lead and began scaling back diplomatic ties to Iran on Monday after the ransacking of Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, violence sparked by the Saudi execution of a prominent opposition Shiite cleric. Sudan and the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain said they would sever ties with Iran, as Saudi Arabia did late Sunday. Within hours, the United Arab Emirates announced it would downgrade ties to Tehran to the level of the charge d'affaires and would only focus on economic issues. Somalia also issued a statement criticizing Iran. The execution Saturday of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others convicted of terror charges the largest mass execution carried out by Saudi Arabia since 1980 laid bare the sectarian divisions gripping the region. Shiite protesters took to the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan, while Arab allies of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia lined up behind the kingdom. The escalating tensions between the two longtime regional rivals looks to further imperil efforts to end the wars in Syria and Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and Iran back rival sides. Al-Nimr was a central figure in the Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority until his arrest in 2012. He was convicted of terrorism charges but denied advocating violence. Bahrain's Sunni monarchy, which quashed mass protests by the Shiite majority in 2011 with the help of Saudi and Emirati forces, enjoys particularly close relations with Saudi Arabia, and shares Riyadh's view that Shiite Iran is intent on destabilizing the region through its various proxies. Bahraini officials have accused Iran of training militants and attempting to smuggle arms into the country, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. In October, Bahrain ordered the acting Iranian charge d'affaires to leave within 72 hours and recalled its own ambassador after alleging Iran sponsored "subversion" and "terrorism" and funneled arms to militants. Sudan's Foreign Ministry announced an "immediate severing of ties" over the diplomatic mission attacks. The statement carried by its state-run news agency said it made the decision in "solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of Iranian schemes." The UAE, a country of seven emirates, has a long trading history with Iran and is home to many ethnic Iranians. It said it would reduce the number of diplomats in Iran and would recall its ambassador "in the light of Iran's continuous interference in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels." Somalia also criticized the attack on Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran as a "flagrant violation" of international law. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the cut in relations late Sunday and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home. Monday, Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority suspended all flights to and from Iran, saying the move was based on the kingdom's severing of diplomatic ties. The move was likely to affect the annual hajj pilgrimage. Lawmaker Mohammad Ali Esfanani, spokesman of the Judicial and Legal Committee of the Iranian parliament, said security issues and the fact that Iranian pilgrims wouldn't have consular protection inside the kingdom made halting the pilgrimage likely, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran have yet to make any formal announcement about how the diplomatic spat would affect the hajj, a pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. The hajj this year likely will begin in early September, though Muslims travel to the holy sites all year long. When Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran from 1988 to 1991, Iran stopped its pilgrims from attending the hajj. With Saudi diplomatic missions closed in Iran, it will make it difficult for Iranians to get visas for the hajj. World powers have sought to calm the tensions. Germany called on both sides to mend ties, with government spokesman Steffen Seibert telling reporters that "relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran are of fundamental importance for solving the crises in Syria and Yemen, and for the stability of the entire region." A Russian state news agency on Monday quoting an unnamed senior diplomat as saying Moscow is ready to act as a mediator in the escalating conflict. RIA Novosti did not say whether Moscow had made the mediation proposal to either side. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the Obama administration believes "diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences." "We will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions," Kirby said. Earlier Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by phone and urged Tehran to "defuse the tensions and protect the Saudi diplomats," according to a statement. The disruption in relations may have implications for peace efforts in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and others spent significant time trying to bring the countries to the negotiating table and they both sat together at talks aimed at ending the civil war. Last month, Saudi Arabia convened a meeting of Syrian opposition figures that was designed to create a delegation to attend peace talks with the Syrian government that are supposed to begin in mid-January. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Saudi Arabia supports the rebels trying to overthrow him. Meanwhile, al-Nimr's family is holding three days of mourning at a mosque in al-Awamiya village in the kingdom's al-Qatif region in predominantly Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia. The sheikh's brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, told The Associated Press that Saudi officials informed his family that the cleric had been buried in an undisclosed cemetery. Early Monday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said a shooting targeting security forces in the village killed a man and wounded a child. It offered no motive for the attack, nor for another it said saw a mob beat and briefly kidnap a man driving through the area. Copyright 2016 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Strong action by the United States and our allies against the Islamic State is justified and crucial. The Islamic State poses a major international security threat. At the same time, the American public should be under no illusion about the enormous difficulties of restoring stability in Syria, if and when a peace settlement someday is achieved. Recent reports have described the scale of destruction and chaos in that Middle Eastern country. The specifics, starting with deaths exceeding 250,000, are staggering. Almost 14 million Syrians can no longer feed themselves, Robin Wright, a longtime analyst on the Middle East, wrote in The New Yorker. More than half are unable to access basic necessities. Some 14,000 schools are damaged or destroyed. More than 3 million children, traumatized by the war, have no access to education. A whole generation is being lost, Wright says. Wright reports that the grand city of Aleppo the formerly bustling heart of commerce, often likened to New York but dating back at least five millennia is now compared to Stalingrad, because of its devastation. Foreign Policy magazine says construction and investment estimates for rebuilding the country approach $300 billion, a figure eight times what our government committed to the reconstruction of Iraq. Eastern Syrian cities and villages outside the immediate war zone are packed with nearly 7 million refugees, outstripping the ability to provide many with basic services which is why the Syrian regime opened its borders, facilitating the exodus of Syrian refugees into Europe. Damascus, Syrias capital, and its suburbs now host a population of displaced persons exceeding 1.6 million, a number approaching that of all of Nebraska. The Foreign Policy article described the travails of a displaced woman and her family in Damascus. We are going back to Stone Age life, she lamented. The devastation and loss of life are nearly beyond imagining, and the responsibility lies squarely with the Islamic State as well as the government of Bashar Assad. Both have demonstrated no hesitation about launching massive assaults on civilians. As if all this wasnt terrible enough, there are additional challenges. The war has spurred the proliferation of hundreds of militias without clear loyalties. Some control no more than a neighborhood, Wright reports, but the culture of warlordism has become pervasive. Yet another worry is Syrias long history of internal divisions, now greatly worsened by the war. Communities and even families have split in terms of their loyalties. Can a population so divided ever forge a stable political system that doesnt entail a dictatorship? Wright asks. Syria lamentably seems destined for tumult for a long while to come. This will spur big challenges for the Syrian people and our allies in the region and for our own country as well. Its important for Americans to understand the scale of this situation. Questiones unanswered in Pathankot terror attacks Feature oi-Staff By Staff Even when the security forces are battling two terrorists, reportedly holed up in officer's quarters, numerous questions continue to engage Indian minds. Especially after the Gurudaspur attacks, merely 39 kilometers from the present infiltration scene, a heightened security was expected. However, much to the dismay of Indians, security lapses marred this inciden too. Barring that, there are innumerable other questions that still remain unanswered. Time of the attack Did the time of the attack, specifically when State premiers were shaking hands and signing deals for a heightened security and better border administration, mean anything? [Read: Pathankot attack: Operations on to kill remaining terrorists, says IAF] While there are ample chances that the attack was masterminded by the ISI, which is unhappy with the 'ties' that lay in future. It can be said that the attack would now divert the attention on the blame game that both the countries are in the habit of playing, thus delaying the friendly ties. The question now arises, who might benefit from weaker ties? The uniform and the strategy The border is porous, agreed, but not when there is constant patrol going on. The BSF said that they had physically checked the entire Punjab border area, but there was not a single evidence that the terrorists had entered India from Pakistan via the Punjab border. [Read: Timeline of Pathankot terror attack] Mwanwhile, Punjab Police, in its initial investigation said that the terrorists may have used the river area along the Indo-Pak border of Punjab to enter the Indian territories. If that is the case, how did they go undetected? Moreover, how did they get the uniform? Getting an army uniform is not easy. Number of terrorists uncertain: 5 or more? Rajnath Singh's Tweet on Day 1 brew up a lot of debate. News made rounds that all five terrorists were neutralised, only to be contradicted when there were fresh rounds of firing, killing 2 people. So there were more? Police, the NSG or the IAF are yet to come up with an answer as the operation rolls into its fourth day. Sources now believe that there may have been two groups of terrorists infiltrating the premises. Pathankot terror strikes leaves us with fewer bravehearts] Were there no security checks? Granted, that they were had army fatigues on, but a huge contingent entering the premises together (without any prior official notice) should have drawn attention. Moreover, how come that Pakistani miitants are at ease trespassing the border and moutning high walls without being noticed and the Indian army can do nothing. Some also believe that the militants had hoodwinked the security officials by trespassing the premises in small groups and waiting for the right time to strike. Audacity or planned action? In this case, their journey was more vulnerable and in broad daylight. After crossing the border, they hike and in this case, they summoned a taxi and later hijack Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh's vehicle. The official immideately informed the nearby defence encampments, which took more than 12 hours to reach the spot. Indeed, Pakistani agencies knew exactly when and how to strike as if it is a daily affair. The second question that arises here is why did the terrorists not strike civilians, schools of bazaars that would have given mass casualty. Experts believe that terrorists have bigger targets so that they remain in media attention. While they make big headlines, the shelf life of these stories is short. That way, the Jammu and Kashmir issue will continue to simmer. [Read: Pathankot attack: How the intelligence was picked up and deciphered] All said and done, India has failed to learn from the previous instances. Months ago, the Gurudaspur incident acted as an eye opener, only to be forgotten. Surely, the defence forced will have to sharpen their memories and learn from their past mistakes. Fact Check: Is RBI planning to introduce currency notes with photos of APJ Kalam, Tagore? Billion Beats spreads Kalams aura at Childrens Science Congress India oi-Oneindia By OneIndia Defence Bureau Mysuru, Jan 04: Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, the superstar of Indian Science Congress' (ISC) till last year, was given a fitting tribute in Mysuru today. During the inaugural session of Children's Science Congress at the majestic amphitheatre of University of Mysore (UoM), a special edition of Billion Beats, an e-paper capturing the success stories of unsung heroes, was launched. Prof John B Gurdon, Nobel Laureate, Cambridge University, UK and University of Mysore VC Prof K S Rangappa released the issue in the presence of thousands of students from across various part of the country. Billion Beats, a pet publication that was closer to the heart of Dr Kalam, was relaunched on Children's Day in 2015 at House of Kalam in Rameswaram. [Fisherman's daughter releases Dr Kalam's e-paper Billion Beats on Children's Day] Organisers moved by House of Kalam's gesture Every speaker at the 103rd Indian Science Congress (103ISC), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, paid their rich tributes to Dr Kalam. In his inaugural address on January 3, Modi said no one in India was as passionate as Dr Kalam in taking Science and Technology to common man. "Dr Kalam's life was an outstanding one filled with scientific achievements. His was a heart of boundless compassion and concern for humanity. For him, the highest purpose of science was the transformation of the life of the weak, the under-privileged and the youth. And, his life's mission was a self-reliant and a self-assured India that was strong and cared for its people. Your theme for this Congress is a fitting tribute to his vision," the PM had said yesterday. [PM Modi chants 5E mantra to S&T brains in Mysuru] Prof Rangappa said that the organisers were humbled when House of Kalam agreed to make Dr Kalam's presence felt though Billion Betas. "It is a very special gesture and you have seen the kind of response it has evoked from everyone present today. We were thoroughly impressed by the simple and inspiring content and couldn't have asked for more from his family," Prof Rangappa told OneIndia. Published by Bengaluru-based Inspired Indian Foundation, Billion Beats' special edition 103ISC issue has a compilation of Dr Kalam's speeches from precious ISC events. It packed with inspiring stories contributed by Indians, including students, across the globe. OneIndia News Ive been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for that. Sinc... 6 years ago Bihar: When asked to take off hijab to check for bluetooth device, Muslim student leaves exam centre Jungle Raj returns in Bihar? 578 murders reported in state in last 2 months India oi-Mukul New Delhi, Jan 4: It looks like 'Jungle Raj' has once again returned in Bihar. Reportedly, total 578 murders have taken place in last two months since Assembly election held in the state. It was hoped that nightmares of nineties (notorious for kidnappings and murders) will not be repeated again after Nitish-Lalu led grand alliance came to power in November 2015. But it seems that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has failed to maintain law and order in the state. According to report, in last month only 300 cases of murders and kidnappings were came to light. Since Nitish Kumar came to power, he has been facing flak for deteriorating Law and order condition in the state. Recently a series of case hit the headlines which exposed Nitish government's tall claim and reveald how nefarious elements rule the roost in the state. On December 26, unidentified assailants shot dead two engineers of a road construction company in Bihar's Darbhanga district. Three days later, another engineer was found dead with injury marks on his body in Vaishali district. Facing flak from different quarters, both RJD, JD(U) leaders were found blaming each other for deteriorating law and order situation in the Bihar. Targetting incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Raghubansh Prasad Singh who is vice-president of the RJD said, "Sensational murders of engineers in Bihar recently have proved that law and order is not good in the state". Putting whole responsibility for rising crime rate in the State on JD(U), leader absolved RJD's role in it. He said, "JD(U) people are in the habit of hearing 'jay kaar' (hailing words) which they should end and take strong measures to rein in crime causing disturbance to people." Later, senior JD(U) leader and former minister Shyam Rajak said Nitish Kumar has the track record of pulling Bihar out of bad days and, hence, needed no advise on law and order situation. OneIndia news Mopping operation continues at Pathankot air base India oi-IANS By Ians English Pathankot (Punjab), Jan 4: Search and combing operation by security forces continued at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base here on Monday morning, over 52 hours after terrorists attacked the frontline air base in Pathankot town of Punjab. NSG and Army commandos conducted a thorough mopping of the entire area where the terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, had been cornered, police said. Firing could be heard during the night and Monday morning. Officials said this firing could be linked to the mopping operation. IAF helicopters flew through the night over the air base to assist ground forces in the counter offensive against the terrorists. Army and para-military forces have surrounded the entire air force base, which is spread in a huge area. Four terrorists were killed by security forces on Saturday after a 15-hour long gunfight in which the NSG, Indian Army and IAF commandos were involved, assisted by IAF helicopters. A gunfight between two more terrorists and security forces continued through Sunday. Seven security personnel, including one official of the National Security Guard, one IAF Garud commando and five Defence Services Corps (DSC) personnel were killed in the counter-offensive against the terrorists. "Combing operation continued (on Sunday). This operation is at the completion stage. The operation will continue till the whole air base has been cleared of any intruders," Air Commodore J. S. Dhamoon, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Pathankot Air Force Station told the media. Smoke could be seen coming out of the IAF air base in Pathankot, 250 km from Chandigarh, on Sunday evening as the gunfight moved to an end. IANS BESCOM Recruitment 2022: Apply for 400 Apprentice posts; Check eligibility and more Bengaluru: Woman falls off scooter, run over by bus News Flash: Will give Pak a fitting reply if it continues spreading terror in India: Gadkari India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Jan 4: Occasional sound of firing could be heard from inside as search and combing operations by security forces continued at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base here on Monday, Jan 4, nearly 55 hours after terrorists launched an attack on the frontline facility in Punjab. Get all the latest national and international news updates of the day here: 10.50 pm: Agar Pakistan aatankwad ka sahara le kar hamare desh me isi prakar ki ghatna karta rahega, to hum eenth ka jawab patthar se denge (If Pakistan will continue spreading terrorism over Indian soil like Pathankot, then we'll give them a fitting reply): Nitin Gadkari. Agar Pakistan aatankwad ka sahara le kar hamare desh mein isi prakar ki ghatna karta rahega, to hum eenth ka jawab patthar se denge:Gadkari ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016 9.35 pm: Heartfelt condolences on loss of lives, injuries & damage to property caused by earthquake in Manipur: President Pranab Mukherjee. 9.30 pm: PM Narendra Modi thanked Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani for his message of support at the cross border terrorist attacks and earthquake. PM deeply appreciated the exemplary bravery & courage of Afghan National Security Forces in thwarting terrorist attack in Mazar-i-Sharif. ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016 9.00 pm: Saradha chit fund scam case: CBI files supplementary chargesheet. Manoranjana Singh,Sudipto Sen,Santanu Ghosh and other two names included. 8.35 pm: Saudi Arabia will cut off all air traffic between it and Iran, says Saudi foreign minister: Reuters 8.30 pm: Yadav Singh scam case: CBI recovers 2 kg gold from accused Ramendra Singh. 8:22 pm: 20 member team of NIA led by an IG ranking officer has been camping at Pathankot since Jan 2, 2016 to supervise the on-going investigations. 8:15 pm: Three youth who were arrested from Nagpur airport on being suspected of planning to join ISIS, sent to 7 days police remand. 7:55 pm: Pathankot Update: Intermittent firing heard at Air Force base. 7:40 pm: We would encourage NRIs of Uttar Pradesh origin to contribute for the development of the state: Akhilesh Yadav. 7:25 pm: Delhi: Around 600 car owners fined over Odd-Even Formula till 6 pm. 7:15 pm: Bhubaneshwar (Odisha): BJD candle march for martyrs of Pathankot terror attack. 6:45 pm: Operations at the Pathankot air base continued as security forces suspect that two more terrorists may be holed up. 6.32 pm: Mazar-i-Sharif(Afghanistan) attack: Three bodies recovered, three more terrorists believed to be hiding in adjacent building. 6.05 pm: Its unfortunate, in such difficult time, MP Govt will provide whatever assistance required: MP CM on Earthquake. 5.47 pm: President Ghani also briefed PM Modi about terror attack in Mazar -i-Sharif city. PM thanked President Ghani for his support. 5.46 pm: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani calls up Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condemns cross border terrorist attack in Pathankot. 5.42 pm: The operations are still going on, we eliminated the 5th terrorist says NSG Official. 5.41 pm: MoS Home Kiren Rijiju, MoS PMO Jitendra Singh meet Manipur CM Okram Ibobi Singh over Earthquake. 5.40 pm: Let operation get over then Government will take a view-FM Arun Jaitley on Indo-Pak talks. 5.38 pm: Lot has been learnt from Mumbai attacks, this led to our security forces to stop the terrorists at the entrance says FM Arun Jaitley. 5.37 pm: MoS Home Kiren Rijiju conducts aerial survey of areas affected by Earthquake in Imphal. 5.37 pm: The process of recovering the last 2 bodies is going on, security forces over there will brief when bodies recovered says FM. 5.36 pm: Circumference of air base is 24 kilometres, it takes time to comb the area says FM Arun Jaitley. 5.35 pm: Main aim of terrorists was to harm strategic assets in #Pathankot, this was a suicide squad and they were well trained says FM Arun Jaitley. 5.34 pm: All consulate officials in Mazar are safe, latest reports say firing still going on says Arun Jaitley. 5.32 pm: National security council was chaired by PM at 11am, 3 main issues were raised,Mazar i Sharif attack, Pathankot and the NE earthquake says Finance Minister. 5.27 pm: Whatever kind of assistance is required will be forthcoming: Jitendra Singh, MoS PMO. 5.22 pm: Union Minister Jitendra Singh meets victims of #Earthquake at a hospital in Imphal. 5.00 pm: Manipur Govt decides to close all government and private schools for the coming 7 days. 4.58 pm: Fire breaks out in Mumbai's Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, 5 fire tenders at the spot. 4.43 pm: Government 'mulling options' over Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary Level talks scheduled for Jan 15th in Islamabad. 4.33 pm: Last rites of Subehdar Major (Retd) Fateh Singh in Gurdaspur. Last rites of Subehdar Major (Retd) Fateh Singh in Gurdaspur #Pathankot pic.twitter.com/vjLFlrvPfm ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016 4.30 pm: All six terrorists at the Pathankot air force station have been neutralised, sources say. Combing operations however continue. 4.29 pm: Daughter of Subehdar Major (Retd) Fateh Singh pays tribute to her father in Gurdaspur. 4.23 pm: Until there is a structured dialogue between the 2 nations (India & Pak), only diplomatic gestures won't help says Digvijaya Singh. 4. 22 pm: The security forces are trying to retrieve the body of the sixth terrorist. Sources say that the sixth terrorist has been killed, but yet to give an official confirmation. 4.19 pm: Indrani Mukerjea's judicial custody extended till January 16 by special CBI court. 4.12 pm: A team of doctors to be sent to Imphal for medical assistance soon: Kamal Kishor. 4.11 pm: 2 NDRF teams on spot in Imphal: Kamal Kishore (Member,NDMA) on earthquake. 3.55 pm: Terror elements in Pak can't accept India playing a major role in Afghanistan's development says Qamar Agha,Security Expert on Mazar-I-Sharif. 3.54 pm: 7 dead and 52 injured in Manipur earthquake. 3.53 pm: The National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan are likely to meet first before the foreign secretary level talks between the two countries could commence. The NSA level talks are likely to discuss the Pathankot attack first. 3.38 pm: The combing operation to capture or kill the sixth terrorist has commenced at the Pathankot air force station. Officials now confirm that they have killed the 5th terrorist. 3.34 pm: Three arrested with Pak SIM and arms in Punjab had links with smugglers across border,many cases of murder against them. 3.06 pm: Ranjith (IAF official arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan's ISI) sent to 14-days judicial custody. 2.58 pm: Three people arrested with arms, ammunitions and a Pakistan mobile SIM card in Mohali (Punjab). 2.00 pm: Hema Upadhyay murder case: Chintan Upadhyay sent to judicial custody till 11th Jan. 1.20 pm: Mazar-i-Sharif anti-terror operation near Indian consulate. 1.10 pm: We have suggested the legislature to legalize betting with in-built mechanism says Justice RM Lodha on BCCI. 1.05 pm: The visit by the National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval to China on Tuesday, Jan 5, has been put off in the event of the Pathankot attack. Doval was scheduled to visit China on a two day visit starting tomorrow. The NSA has been locked in a series of meetings with the Prime Minister, Defence and External Affairs minister since the attacks at Pathankot commenced on January 2. 12.55 pm: The police is conducting a search operation in a village called Manwal around 4 kilometres away from Pathankot after it was reported by a person that he saw two armed men this morning. There were also reports of a car being snatched, but the same has been dismissed as a rumour. However, no chance are being taken and all angles are being inspected, the Punjab police. 12.51 pm: PM Modi meet with NSA Ajit Doval, Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Senior MEA Officials, ends. 12.40 pm: Security forces are still battling two terrorists who are now holed up in the quarters of air force officials at the Pathankot air force station. 12.30 pm: Suicide bomber detonates himself near Kabul Airport: Afghan Media 12.26 pm: Fresh firing has erupted at the Pathankot air force station. NSG team at the spot says the combing operation is on. The operation is at its final stage says NSG while also adding that all precautions will be taken before declaring the air force station safe. 12.11 pm: Happy to share that whatever discussions we had with Mr.Manohar, he immediately put in action says Justice Lodha on BCCI. 12.10 pm: The Prime Minister, National Security Advisor and the Defence Minister are holding a meeting to review the situation in the wake of the Pathankot terror attack. Additional forces have been sent to Pathankot to flush out the terrorists. 12.05 pm: Saudi Arabia cuts all diplomatic ties with Iran. 12 noon: India's Border security will be reviewed. BSF informs home ministry about infiltration routes into India from Pakistan. 11.55 am: Dutch panel studying Russian role in MH17 crash. Wreath laying ceremony of Lt Col Niranjan in Bengaluru, tributes being paid #Pathankot pic.twitter.com/7Pq95ncFUt ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016 11.50 am: Fire breaks out in Naya Nagar slums in Mumbai's Mahim area, five fire tenders rush to the spot. 11.40 am: PM Narendra Modi,Defence Minister Parrikar ,NSA Doval and MEA meeting underway at 7 RCR. 11.33 am: The NIA is questioning Salwinder Singh, the Superintendent of Police of Gurdaspur who was abducted by the terrorists who staged the Pathankot attack. Last rites of Garud Commando Gursewak Singh in Garnala (Ambala) #Pathankot pic.twitter.com/yM6pu7BvyH ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016 11.25 am: Istanbul bound Turkish airline flight from Mumbai which was called back for security reasons,to take off shortly. Wreath laying ceremony of Garud Commando Gursewak Singh in Garnala (Ambala), tributes being paid pic.twitter.com/QoUEGZMki1 ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016 Wreath laying ceremony of Garud Commando Gursewak Singh in Garnala (Ambala) pic.twitter.com/l3LY6fna3f ANI (@ANI_news) January 4, 2016 11.00 am: One AN-32 and one Avro of Indian Air Force on the way to Imphal from Guwahati with NDRF team, due to earthquake. 10.30 am: "PM and Home Minister talked to me and offered all possible help", says Okram Ibobi Singh, Manipur CM on earthquake. 10:17 am: Terrorists and security personnel continue to engage in gun fire at the Pathankot air force station. Loud explosions have been reported. The security personnel had indicated yesterday that the operation is at a mature stage. 10:16 am: Mortal remains of Garud Commando Gursewak Singh who lost his life in Pathankot attack, brought to Garnala (Ambala). 10:00 am: National Crisis Management Committee meeting underway to assess the situation after Manipur earthquake. 9:30 am: Children pay tribute to NSG Lt Col Niranjan at Bengaluru's BEL Ground, who lost his life in Pathankot Attack. 9:00 am: We will give compensation- Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on NSG Lt Col Niranjan who lost his life in Pathankot attack 8:47 am: Family members mourn demise of NSG Lt Col Niranjan as mortal remains arrive at Bengaluru residence Pathankot Attack. 8:45 am: Intermittent firing continued at the Pathankot air force sation where security forces are trying to flush out a surviving terrorist. Fresh troops have also been deployed. 8:38 am: Security deployed outside Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot. 8:34 am: No reports of damage in Arunachal Pradesh so far, CM has sought report from disaster management department: Office of Arunachal CM. 8:19 am: Wall of a building collapsed in Imphal after earthquake hit the region. 8:10 am: NDRF team has been instructed to move from Guwahati to the areas affected by the earthquake: PMO 8:00 am: 35 injured in Imphal after 6.7 magnitude earthquake jolts northeast India, buildings damaged too OneIndia News 'We demand for RSS to be banned too', says Congress MP on PFI Ban Now, RSS plans to launch a Christian outfit to earn 'goodwill' of community India oi-Mukul New Delhi, Jan 4: In order to increase its reach among Christian community, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is planning to launch its Christian outfit. Reportedly RSS recently held a meeting regarding the same. Sources said that at the moment Sangh is toying with the idea and wants to form an Christian outfit on the lines of lines of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch. An event named 'Christmas Message for Love, Peace and Harmony from Indian Soil' was also organized in the presence of several seniors RSS and VHP leaders in Delhi. When asked about the move, Indresh Kumar, member of RSS' National Executive was quoted by TOI as saying, "On December 17, 4-5 Archbishops, 40-50 Reverend Bishops from across 10 to 12 states met and it was decided to develop a movement. This is preparing the ground to lay the seeds for an organisation". It is being said that with formation of Christian group, RSS is aiming to earn the 'goodwill' of the community. Experts view the move as an compensatory tactic to douse the fire of intolerance which is bringing bad name to Modi Government. Opposition has been targetting government for not doing enough to earn the confidence of minority. OneIndia news Golden intelligence rule: When your cover is blown, you are on your own Pathankot attack: 2 terrorists provided fire while 4 entered air force station India oi-Vicky Pathankot, Jan 4: New leads in the investigations into the Pathankot terrorist strike suggests that four terrorists entered the air force station using the car that they had stolen from a police officer while two others had reached there in advance. The NIA which is probing the case has learnt that one of the inmates of the car who was with the Superintendent of Police have overheard that terrorists speaking about a plan to carry out a major strike. This was also reported by the SP of Gurdaspur, Salwinder Singh to the Punjab police, but was not taken seriously. Investigations now show that four terrorists used the stolen vehicle to enter the air force station while two others had reached there in advance. Investigations also suggest that the two terrorists had reached earlier and engaged the security forces while the other four gained entry into the air force station. It appears as though the two terrorists were providing cover fire for their team members so that they could gain access to the air force station. The NIA will probe the case in three angles. While one case would relate to the attack itself the other two would be regarding the killing of the taxi driver by the terrorists and the subsequent abduction of the SP. The NIA would look to gather details on the entry route of the terrorists from Pakistan to India and also see if there were any locals who assisted them. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 4, 2016, 16:56 [IST] Pathankot attack: How the intelligence was picked up and deciphered India oi-Vicky Pathankot, Jan 4: On Dec 25, 2015, there was chatter that was picked up by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) which suggested a major infiltration bid into India from Pakistan. There was some amount of confusion over which outfit it would be. On analysing the intelligence, it was felt that an attack could be staged either by the al-Qaeda in the Sub-Continent, Tehrik-e-Taliban or the Jaish-e-Mohammad. On Dec 26, the intelligence bureau working on these intercepts began to get a clearer picture and it was found that a terrorist group would infiltrate its men into Punjab and there was a major operation being planned on a military installation. The Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Intelligence Bureau along with the National Security Advisor (NSA), Ajit Doval analysed these intercepts and it was stated that all of them were actionable. Following this the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) were alerted about this intercept and an advisory to step up security was issued. Who is to blame now? The job of the Intelligence Bureau is to pick up the alert, analyse it and then issue it once it is confirmed that it is actionable in nature. The role of a National Security Advisor is to advise the Prime Minister on security related issues. However, Doval being an intelligence man has taken keen interest in ensuring that there are no intelligence lapses. The first signals to the BSF and the IAF were issued from Dec 26 onwards. The Home Ministry will seek an explanation from both wings on why the security was not stepped up despite such specific alerts. How did the terrorists infiltrate and why was the Pathankot air force station not secured? By December 30, it had become clear that an operation of a major scale was planned by the Jaish-e-Mohammad and they were in particular looking to hit a military base. The message was sent once again to step up security. In the meantime there were two incidents that took place on Jan 1 in which a taxi driver was killed and a Superintendent of Police abducted. All this information was analysed and alerts were being issued in a timely fashion. The question now is whose responsibility was it to act on these alerts? Intelligence Bureau officials say that they are not part of operations and their job is to warn and alert the security forces. The attack could have been much worse, but due to the alerts the terrorists were kept away from the technical area. Moreover, it was also ensured that there were no civilian casualties. Had the terrorists been out on the streets, there would have been civilian casualties and it would have been very difficult to contain them. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 4, 2016, 10:53 [IST] Pathankot attack: India will give Pakistan 3 days time to act against Jaish-e-Mohammad India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Jan 4: While it was being speculated that India may call off talks with Pakistan following the attack at Pathankot, there is no such decision as yet. In fact India will wait another three days and tell Pakistan to act against the Jaish-e-Mohammad which is responsible for the attack. The Punjab police, central intelligence bureau and the National Investigating Agency (NIA) have been instructed to provide all possible inputs and evidence relating to the attack. The evidence relating to the Jaish-e-Mohammad which is known to operate from Pakistan will be handed over and action sought against the outfit which was also responsible for the Parliament attack in India. There have been high level meetings that have been held in Delhi since the attack at Pathankot commenced. While the first one was headed by the Defence Minister, another was chaired by the Prime Minister. During both the meetings it was decided that Pakistan would asked to explain about the role of the JeM. Further it was also decided that India would tell Pakistan to act against the JeM and make significant arrests in the next three days. If Pakistan does not act on these demands then a decision on whether to continue with the talks or not will bet taken. It was decided that India would seek action against the Jaish-e-Mohammad which has been waging war against India. India will arm itself with evidence which would include call intercepts made by Bhawalpur, Pakistan and also the DNA samples of the terrorists who were gunned down yesterday. "We will seek the assistance of Pakistan and also urge them to arrest, Maulana Masoor Azhar, the Chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammad," said a senior official. For India the arrest of Azhar is very important. He was revived recently by the ISI and even moved at least 30 of his men to the PoK. Azhar is the same person who had planned the Parliament attack following his release in exchange of hostages during the Khandahar hijack. OneIndia News Pathankot attack: Who should take responsibility for the lapse? India oi-Vicky Pathankot, Jan 4: Even as security forces continue to engage with terrorists in Pathankot, there are various questions being raised about the response. Preliminary investigations show that the terrorists had infiltrated into India in two groups. There is clear evidence to show that two vehicles, a Pajero and a Land Cruiser was used to transport the terrorists in Pakistan to the Kathua-Gurdaspur border on December 30th 2015. It is still unclear as to how many terrorists had infiltrated into India and since the time the attack began on January 2 at 3.30 AM, contradictory numbers have surfaced. [Pathankot attack: Who said what on first terror attack of 2016] Even Home Minister of India, Rajnath Singh had declared in a tweet that the operation had come to an end with 5 terrorists being killed only to delete that tweet later. When everyone thought that the operation had come to a close, firing began again on January 4 2016, Sunday and officials said that there were still two terrorists holed up in the Pathankot air force station. For a change Intelligence was actionable: One gets to read about Intelligence Bureau alerts being issued every single day. While most of the time these alerts are not entirely actionable, at times these are issued to test the alertness of the police. In the case of Pathankot it was different as the Intelligence was extremely specific. There is bound to be a blame game very soon over who failed to act, but the fact is that an important installation has come under attack and the security forces are still engaged in a battle for the third day in a row. A lot has already been written about how the terrorists stole the vehicle of the Gurdaspur Superintendent of Police and even used his phone to make a call. In addition to this there were four intercepts picked up by the Intelligence Bureau which clearly suggested an attack at Pathankot. After the abduction incident, there was not enough done to trace the terrorists who had a free run for almost 6 hours. Confusion galore: The Union Home Ministry has sought a response from both the Punjab police as well as the Border Security Force. The Punjab police will have to explain why the complaint of the SP was not acted upon. [Punjab police thought Gurdaspur SP was abducted due to personal scuffle] The BSF on the other hand will have to explain how the infiltration took place in the first place considering that the area the terrorists infiltrated through was highly secure. It must be recalled that in the month of July 2015, the BSF had deployed additional troops along this border area in question. Moreover, one must also remember that when the terrorists infiltrated into India to execute the Gurdaspur attack, it was done through the same place. The NIA which will register a case today will have to find out a lot of details relating to this attack. The first challenge would be how many teams infiltrated into India? Secondly why the complaint and the intelligence was not acted upon. OneIndia News Aerial Assassin: How AH-64 E Apache became the world's best Attack helicopter? Pathankot Terror Attack: Revealed! How was it linked with Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan India oi-Nairita New Delhi, Jan 4: India lost seven of its bravehearts during the terror attack at Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot, Punjab. Now, it has been reported that the terror attack might have carried out to derail the peace talks between India and Pakistan. According to a report published by Zee TV, Raheel Sharif, Pakistan Army chief along with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligences (ISI) allegedly hatched the terror plot. The media report claimed that Raheel Sharif was unhappy with the progress in peace talks following Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Lahore on Nawaz Sharif's birthday. [India-Pak heartwarming gesture: When PM Modi touched Pak PM's mother's feet] The Army chief reportedly wanted to break the tie between the two prime ministers of the neighbouring countries. The terror plot was planned in Rawalpindi, Pakistani and was executed in Pathankot, India. Pakistan Army chief's aim was to disrupt the upcoming foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan. Hence, ISI asked the JeM terrorists to carry out attacks outside Jammu and Kashmir. It has been reported that ISI wanted JeM to take the responsibilities of the terror attack. [Timeline of Pathankot terror attack] The terror attack, which was planned to take place on Jan 1, hit the air force base in Pathankot on Saturday, Jan 2. More than 10 terrorists infiltrated the border and attacked the IAF base. A combing operation, which was launched by the Indian security forces in the area on Saturday, is still on. OneIndia News Animal Control Officer Cindy Katschke, 52, arrives at the Animal Control office at 7 a.m. sharp, ready for another day of work. 7:30 a.m. Katschke visits Moore Lane Veterinary Hospital to check on a dog she had picked up after it was hit by a car. Shes saddened to learn that in the night, the dog had passed away. On her way out, she leans down to scratch a canine patients ears. She walks back to her truck and calls the family to give her condolences. A lot of people dont understand what we do, Katschke said. Last night I was off duty when I was called to that accident. Im just glad I managed to get hold of the owners. 8:34 a.m. After an hour or so of patrolling, Katschke spots a yellow Labrador wandering the streets near Alkali Creek Elementary. This she calls an on view dog at large sighting. She follows the dog in her truck for nearly 30 minutes, smiling and talking to him, trying to draw him closer. Playfully, the dog lopes along, enjoying this game of cat and mouse. Hes a playful one, Katschke laughs as the dog manages to escape her catch pole. When you get the chance to laugh in this job, you just gotta laugh. With the help of a handful of Pupperoni treats, she manages to catch the Lab, who happily jumps into a crate in her truck. She scans him for a microchip and receives contact information for his owner, learning that the pups name is Butch. Half a mile away, she pulls into the driveway of Dan Smith, Butchs owner. After chatting with Smith, she releases Butch, who is all too happy to be home. You need to be professional and respectful every single day, Katschke said. Youre likely to see the same people over and over again, and they will respect you if you respect them. 10:21 a.m. Katschke is called to Billings Animal Family Hospital to pick up a stray dog brought in by a good Samaritan. The vet staff greet her by name. The black dachshund mix is shy and nervous, but lets Katschke pick her up and carry her gently to the truck. Katschke learns the dog has no microchip and must be brought back to the office to await a possible owner claiming her. Im all about trying to educate the people I work with every day, Katschke said. Microchipping, proper training and spaying/neutering their pets: in the end, those are the things that will drastically cut down on euthanizations. If the dachshund isnt claimed within 72 hours, she will go up for adoption through Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter. 12:30 p.m. Katschke escorts a local man to visit his dog who, after showing aggressive behavior and biting someone, is under quarantine at the Animal Control offices. She brings the man back to see his dog and smiles as Snickers whines and jumps with excitement at seeing her owner. Toward the end of his visit, the owner was upset by a number of citations Katschke had to issue him. The owner left angry. I love my job, Katschke said. But there are days when youre up to here, but you have to learn to let go because this job can be very, very stressful. Katschke believes in staying alert to and aware of others' emotions. Some people want to fight, some want to yell and some want to just bawl," she said. "And I have to be able to listen, understand and explain. 1:26 p.m. Katschke arrives at the Montana State University Billings campus, ready to pick up a stray dog caught wandering the campus. Campus police have locked the dog up in a fenced area. Katschke turns the corner and laughs aloud when she sees a 150-pound (or heavier) Saint Bernard. Speaking in a soft, friendly tone, she leashes him and walks him to the truck. With some help from campus police, she manages to wrestle the big nervous dog into the back of her truck. Hes a big boy, she shouts, laughing as she tries to coax the Saint Bernard into her truck. After rubbing his ears, she checks him for a microchip. Finding nothing, she fills out paperwork to take him back to the office. 1:53 p.m. Katschke visits a North Side mans home to pick up a cat hes trapped. She gently transfers the tiger feline into a wild box and places it in the truck, another animal to be brought to the office. On an average day, Katschke picks up mostly dogs and cats, but Animal Control responds to calls for more unusual animals like porcupines, skunks, raccoons, rattlesnakes and bats, especially in warmer months. You never know from day to day, she said. Its a new experience every day because you never know what youll see or do. 2:15 p.m. After a busy day, Katschke returns to the office to log in the Saint Bernard and trapped cat and complete paperwork from the days incidents. She often takes an extra step and checks with local vets for rabies vaccinations and tries to contact possible owners before taking caught animals to the shelter. The most important thing in my job is to educate people, she said. Its more than picking up dogs and writing citations. If we can help one person, theyre gonna pass that along and say to their friends, You know, Animal Control does a lot of good. Swachh Bharat mission: Vadodara readies for cleanliness survey India oi-PTI Vadodara, Jan 4: Vadodara is all set to take part in the 'Swachh Sarvekshan', a cleanliness survey of 75 major cities to begin tomorrow, senior civic officials said today. "The Union Ministry of Urban Development has commissioned the 'Swachh Sarvekshan' to ensure cleanliness in urban areas, as part of the 'Swachh Bharat' mission," Vadodara Municipal Commissioner H S Patel said. The survey would cover the state capitals and other cities with a population of over 10 lakh, and assess the cleanliness situation therein, through collection of data from urban local bodies, direct observation and the citizens' feedback, he said. "The survey would collect the data on work done on the construction of household toilets and community toilets, solid waste management, garbage collection, its disposal and processing among other parameters," he said. "While Vadodara has made significant progress in sanitation and solid waste management, it does face its fair share of challenges, such as lack of disposal sites for construction rubble," he said. "We have planned measures for the collection of construction rubble and its disposal at a designated site in Atladara on the outskirts of the city," he said. "We have developed a site at Jambuva locality to resolve the problem of unsegregated garbage," Shailesh Mistry, city's Deputy Municipal Commissioner and in-charge of its solid waste management, said. The Central government's 'Smart City' programme, under which 98 cities have been chosen, also features Vadodara. Patel said he is hopeful of Vadodara faring well in the survey, adding it would help the city to be included in the list of the 20 cities which would be developed in the first phase of the (Smart City) programme. He urged the citizens to participate in the survey by giving a missed call on toll-free number 18002672777, and give an account of the sanitation problems they face. The survey would be carried out from January 5-20 by the Quality Council of India, and the results would be declared on January 25, he said. The other cities of Gujarat which stand to be surveyed under the exercise include Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot, he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Swachh Bharat' mission on October 2, 2014 on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 145th birth anniversary. PTI Aerial Assassin: How AH-64 E Apache became the world's best Attack helicopter? The importance of Pathankot air force station and why terrorists targetted it India oi-Vicky Pathankot, Jan 4: The Pathankot Air Force Station which is under attack by terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad is a tactically important base for various reasons. Post this attack there is going to a review of the security and also introspection on how terrorists managed to enter such a highly secure zone. First and foremost the Pathankot Air Force Station acts as the first line of air defence against any attack from Pakistan. The air station is located on the tip of Punjab which is around 40 kilometres from the India-Pakistan international border. The importance of the Pathankot air force station: The air force station which is part of the Western Air Command houses the 108 Squadron Hawkeyes that fly the MiG-21 fighters and also the 125 Helicopter Unit Gladiators. An air base that spreads over 75 acres, it has been in action during the wars with Pakistan. It has always been the first target of the Pakistanis and an attack on the air base was carried out during the 1965 war. In the 1971 war Pakistan had launched an air strike on this base in which the run way had been damaged. Further this air base also provides logistic support to operations that are being carried out in Jammu and Kashmir. The role of this air base is also to provide an operational range for air raids into Pakistan territory. This air base houses the MIG-21 Bison Fighter jets, the MI-25 and MI-35 attack choppers. Why did terrorists attack Pathankot air base: The Pathankot air base has been a target of Pakistan is almost every war that it has fought with India. The Air Force station is often considered as the Pride of India and hence making a favoured target of Pakistan based militants as well. The attack on the air force station was an audacious one and would classify as a spectacular attack in terrorist terminology. While India has lost 7 brave soldiers, the battle against terrorists who come to die is never easy. They have nothing to lose as they are prepared to die which makes the battles against the fidayeens even more difficult. The choice of Pathankot by the Jaish-e-Mohammad was with an intention of testing the security mechanism and also to cause embarrassment. For any terrorist organisation an attack on a military installation or base is considered to be a huge moral victory as it determines the strength of the outfit. OneIndia News After the verdict in Kathua rape case chief investigator regrets Vishal's release Aerial Assassin: How AH-64 E Apache became the world's best Attack helicopter? Police checkpoints along Jammu-Pathankot highway alerted after carjacking in Punjab Grenade blast near Pathankot, all check-posts put on high alert Probe underway following grenade explosion at Pathankot Timeline of Pathankot terror attack India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Jan 4: Here is timeline of Pathankot terror attack. December 30 2015: Six terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad enter India through the Kathua-Gurdaspur border in Punjab. January 1, 2016: At around 8 PM, terrorists hire a taxi booked on a Pakistan number. They kill the taxi driver by slitting his throat. At around 9.30 PM, terrorists abduct Gurdaspur Superintendent of Police, Salwinder Singh. They drive for 20 kiolmetres before asking SP to get off. Terrorists steal the official car of the SP. Terrorists use mobile phone of SP to call handlers in Bhawalpur, Pakistan. January 2, 2016: Terrorists proceed towards Pathankot air force station. At 3 PM, terrorists try entering into air force station, but one terrorist is killed while trying to scale the wall. At 3.30 PM five other terrorists gain entry into domestic area of air force station where they engage in firing with security personnel. NSG rushed to Pathankot. NIA team also present. In the gun battle two IAF personnel and one Garuda commando martyred. Firing continues all through the day and security forces kill three more terrorists. Several security personnel are injured in the attack. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, three service chiefs and NSA convene meeting. At 6 PM firing stops but combing and search operations continue. January 3, 2016: Four security personnel including a Lt. Colonel of the NSG succumb to injuries taking toll up to 7. At around 12.30 PM firing commences. Security personnel say two more terrorists holed up. Sounds of heavy fire and grenades being hurled are heard. Security forces claim one more terrorist killed taking toll up to five. At 5 PM Home Secretary addresses media and says casualty could have been higher if not for prior intelligence. IAF officials say operation is at a mature stage and almost coming to a close. Prime Minister chairs high level meeting to discuss Pathankot attack. Searching and mopping operations continue. Pathankot attack: India will give Pakistan 3 days time to act against Jaish-e-Mohammad Security personnel begin operation to flush out one possible remaining terrorist. Intermittent firing followed by grenade being hurled at the air force station. Firing continues and security forces say each terrorist was armed with 6 Kgs of RDX. Operation still at a mature stage says IAF. Security kill one more terrorist taking number to 5. One more terrorist suspected to be holed up. NSG says that operation is still on, only 5 terrorists killed. January 5, 2016: Combing and mopping operations resume. Charred body found, security forces suspect it is of 6th terrorist. Body being identified to ascertain if it is sixth terrorist. Security forces say combing will continue until area completely secure. OneIndia news Why Pakistan cannot deny its army link to the Jaish-e-Mohammad India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Jan 4: The role of the investigating agencies in pin-pointing the role of the Pakistan army in the Pathankot terror attack will be a challenge. Pathankot Terror Attack: Revealed! How was it linked with Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan First and foremost, Pakistan will deny any role in the attack. While investigating details will spill out in the next couple of days, there is a history that shows the links between the Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Pakistan army which cannot be denied. The Jaish-e-Mohammad was the second most important proxy that the Pakistan army created after the Lashkar-e-Tayiba-e-Tayiba. The Jaish-e-Mohammad was created following the Khandahar hijack of 1999. It was Brigadier Ijaz Shah, a close aide of General Pervez Musharaff who was handler for Maulana Masood Azhar who founded the JeM. After he was released by India, Azhar returned to Pakistan and announced the formation of the JeM at a press conference in Karachi. The headquarters at Bhawalpur: Azhar was an important man for the Pakistan army. Following the decision to launch the JeM, he was given a free hand to recruit youth from across the country. So strong was his influence that in the first round, Azhar managed to rope in 2,000 youth into his fold. In addition to this he was permitted to send the recruits to the training camps that were being run by the Harkat-ul-Ansar. The role of Azhar was to be restricted to Kashmir. When his men were ready he held a meeting with top army officials in Pakistan who assured to assist his boys with fire cover along the Line of Control during infiltration into Kashmir. While the relationship was hunky dory it went sour in 2003. The JeM decided to get out of the establishment control. Members of the JeM along with some Pakistan air force personnel decided to carry out an assassination bid on General Pervez Musharaff. When investigations proved the role of the JeM, Azhar was pushed to the wall. The role played by Kayani: In the year 2005, the tensions between the JeM and the Pakistan army eased out. General Asfaq Kayani, the chief of the army in Pakistan felt that it was time to ease the relationship. The Pakistan army wanted more proxies to fight against alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan against the Western forces. Two dedicated camps at Lower Dir and Dir in the Khyber Pakthunkhwa were set up to train new fighters. In these two areas, Kayani called upon the JeM operatives to come forward and train. Questiones unanswered in Pathankot terror attacks It was at the same time that the JeM with funds from the Pakistan army set up a recruitment centre at Lahore. During this period the JeM also revived the Al-Rehman trust which helped with the fund raising. While funds poured in, the JeM became stronger with the complete backing of the Pakistan army. Today JeM is as important a proxy as what the Lashkar-e-Tayiba is. The JeM has once again been allowed to nurture its anti India tirade. While the focus of the JeM has always been Kashmir, the outfit has also been building up plans to hit other parts of India as well. The main agenda of an attack by the JeM is to challenge the Indian establishment. The Parliament attack and the Pathankot strike suggests just this. The manner in which the operatives go about the operation also shows the kind of precision they have and the skills to hold up at least 500 security personnel for several days in a row. It all points towards extensive training by the Pakistan army. OneIndia news For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 4, 2016, 15:47 [IST] Boy dubbed 'Jihadi Junior' is UK-based female terrorist's son: Report International oi-PTI London, Jan 4: A little boy who appears in a new Islamic State (ISIS) video warning Britain against terror attacks is the son of a female terrorist from east London. Grace Dare, who was brought up in the UK by a Christian family of Nigerian descent before being radicalised online as "Khadija", is the mother of the little black boy who is seen pointing into the distance and calling for the killing of "unbelievers" in the 11-minute film released yesterday. Dare's London-based father Henry Dare today confirmed to 'The Daily Telegraph' that the boy in the video is his grandson Isa Dare. "I was surprised when I saw the picture. It's definitely him. Of course I'm worried but there's nothing I can do now. I'm not angry, I would never have expected it. I just hope someone is trying to bring them back," the London taxi driver told the newspaper. Grace Dare, an Islamic State member who has in the past expressed a wish to become the first woman to behead a hostage, made her way to Syria in 2012 and married a Swede known as Abu Bakr, who is thought have been killed since. Her son, dubbed "Jihadi Junior" by British media, is dressed in camouflage and a black headscarf with an ISIS logo on it in the new video. Last July, 22-year-old Grace "Khadija" Dare had posted a picture on social media of Isa aiming an AK-47 automatic rifle that he seemed only just big enough to lift, the newspaper claims alongside the photograph. Asked about the police response to his daughter's radicalisation, Henry Dare said: "I said they should watch her. She was a Christian, she went to the local Roman Catholic school. She was Christian until she changed. She fell under the influence of some people when she was going to the mosque. She was very observant." His wife, Victoria, has earlier spoken about how her daughter changed her first name to Khadija after she began attending the mosque. She said last year: "I still call her our Grace. I want her back in my life. She is the only child that I have and the devil took her away." Khadija has since appeared on television documentaries about jihadi brides, saying she missed junk food and Chinese takeaways, but said she would never return home. She used social media to gloat about the beheading of the American journalist James Foley and said she wanted to be the first British woman to kill an ISIS hostage. PTI Poor Indian family in UAE living like prisoners get help India accuses Pakistan of inciting secessionist tendencies during ongoing visit of pilgrims 17 killed in Dubai bus accident, eight Indians among dead Indian consulate in Afghanistan attacked, two terrorists killed (Fourth Lead) International oi-IANS By Ians English Kabul, Jan 4: A group of armed men late Sunday attacked the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, the provincial governor spokesperson told media. Officials said attackers have taken up positions inside a residential home located in front of the Indian mission and are firing on the consulate. "The number of attackers were 4, two of them killed but not confirmed by police yet," Afghan news agency Pajhwok Afghan News said in a tweet. "Two attackers were killed in fighting after insurgents attacked Indian consulate in Mazarisharif city," it said in an earlier tweet. Sources told Xinhua news agency that there were no casualties on the Indian side. "Two of the four militants, who targeted the three-member consulate, have been gunned down by Afghan special forces," the sources said. In a series of tweets, Pajhwok Afghan News earlier said: "Police confirmed blast in gun fires in PD4 near to #Indian consulate in #Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif city." "Balkh governor spokesman told Pajhwok that attackers entered a house and firing on Indian Consulate in Maza-i-Sharif city." "Police says, no casualties were reported yet from attack on #Indian Consulate in Maza-i-Sharif city." "Gun fires resumed after armed people attacked #Indian Consulate in MazairSharif city." BBC also said explosions and gunfire were heard near the Indian consulate. The report said it was not immediately clear whether the consulate was directly targeted, as the area also has a building belonging to a local politician. Indian diplomatic missions in Afghanistan have come under militant attacks earlier too. In 2008 and 2009, the embassy in Kabul was attacked, leaving dozens dead. In May 2014, gunmen attacked the Indian consulate in Herat, while in August 2013, nine civilians died when the consulate in Jalalabad was targeted. IANS Community Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. by Graham Pierrepoint Facebook, occasionally, has a tendency to really spawn one or two big memes or crazes which, on the face of it, seem fairly unremarkable. Only recently we have witnessed the mass sharing of the photo of a seemingly unassuming dress, with droves of people claiming it to be either white and gold or black and blue. Its hardly a news-shattering piece, but having found its way to Facebook from social blogging platform Tumblr, it is a fantastic example of even the simplest of stories, photos or even puzzles going viral often for the silliest of reasons! A trend that has been doing the social rounds this holiday season is one that you may well have seen already that is, find the panda. In a Wheres Waldo style illustration, Hungarian artist Gergely Dudas asked his Facebook followers to find a lone panda in his cartoon illustration of a crowd of snowmen some of them dressed more interestingly than others and, to many, its been a monumental task! However, in an interesting twist, some Facebook users appear to have found the allegedly sneaky bear in a matter of seconds making some people wonder if the challenge is less to do with the actual difficulty of the picture, and more to do with individual perception skills. The picture went viral and, in response to the sheer amount of people taking on the panda challenge, Dudas decided to treat his fans and followers to another test find the one cat amongst a legion of owls! While its a similar concept, some stated that this picture was a little trickier, as the physical difference between the cat and the owls was less obvious than between the panda and the snowmen. Its bizarre to be discussing the merits of a puzzle picture but this is the nature of viral content! It seems most people looking to make a splash on the internet today are looking to unlock the secrets of the viral hit but if Dudas panda challenge is anything to go by, you really cant gauge what will or wont be a big hit online. That is, unless you are willing to conduct hours of research on the matter but then, how will you ever guarantee that your results go viral? In short, life is short enjoy a panda picture or two this holiday season and let your worries wash over you! Students in Papua New Guinea are facing bigger challenges as the use of social media is distracting them from their studies.Director for the Port Moresby Matriculation studies Mr Norman Sike says there a lot bright students in secondary schools but they are spending more time on these latest trends of technology that they no longer prioritize their studies.Many talented students are not doing well to get into higher institutions due to so much distraction from social media and other latest technology We have to constantly remind students that you may be smart and have the knowledge and skills but if dont put in the hard work than your selections to Higher Institutions is not guaranteed said Mr Sike.He said, smart students need to study like any other average students but it is not the case as more of these bright students are losing focus on their long term goals of being successful and educated Papua New Guineans. Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Once a staunch supporter of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, activist investor Bill Ackman has decided to reduce his stakes in the controversial drug company citing tax reasons, reported TV Newsroom. Ackmans Pershing Square hedge fund announced on Dec. 30 it was selling nearly five million shares of Valeant shares after reports emerged that the companys Chief Executive J. Michael Pearson had been hospitalized after suffering from severe pneumonia. Valeant shares fell by close to 61% from the high they reached in the previous year summer. In the last quarter, Ackman raised his stake in the drug company to 9.9% from 5.7% in a series of transactions starting in October. With the recent sale of his shares in Valeant, Ackman now holds less than 30 million shares of the drugmaker or 8.5%, down from a high of 34.1 million (9.9%) shares in November. Last month, Ackman told investors that 2015 could be his firm's worst ever after his hedge funds suffered double-digit losses. "If the year finishes with our portfolio holdings at or around cu...................... To view our full article Click here In the week ending 01 January, 2016, the Asset Management Association of China has announced that 24,625 hedge funds are active onshore in Mainland China (sunshine funds, see also the recent Opalesque Hong Kong Roundtable for more intelligence) as of December 2015, up from nearly 17,000 in January of the same year. Outlook: Most hedge fund managers say they are looking forward to better opportunities in 2016 and tend to have an optimistic outlook after a challenging 2015. RBC Capital Markets is less enthusiastic about alternative investment stocks in 2015; while Jason Ader said he expects 2016 to be the year of shareholder activism in this underperforming sector of the stock market. Marko Soldo is planning to launch an equities hedge fund firm, Talarium Capital. and JP Morgan has bared plans to launch an alternative fund, the JPMorgan Diversified Alternative ETF. Whitebox Advisors plans to liquidate its three mutual funds on Jan. 19 after losses and redemptions in 2015;and Doug Hirsch is returning money to clients from his hedge fund after almost 20 years after his Seneca Capital Investments lost 6 percent in 2015. The Scotiabank Canadian Hedge Fund Index ended November 2015 up 1.10% (6.12% YTD). In performance, Blackstone Group, D.E. Shaw, Millennium Partners and Citadel have managed to side-step this years challenges and post double-digit returns; t...................... To view our full article Click here Jean-Sebastien Debusschere Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque Geneva for New Managers: L&J Capital Management is launching a new fund, the Galini Market Neutral Fund, on February 1st. The fund will be advised by Galini Capital Advisors (GCA), a new investment boutique specialized in physical precious metal trading, with offices in Belgium and Colombia. L&J Capital Management is the funds ManCo in the Caymans. GCA was co-founded last year by Jean-Sebastien Debusschere, the CEO, who previously worked at Paribas, Deutsche Bank and Dexia in their asset management units. In 2005, he founded FourWinds Capital Management, a $1.5 billion hedge fund and private equity group specializing in commodities and natural resources, and served as CIO there until 2013. "I founded FourWinds in Geneva," Debusschere told Opalesque. "We then opened our main office in 2007 in Boston. At that time, we managed a commodity fund of hedge funds, the Zephyr Commodity Fund, which assets climbed to $600 million. In 2007, we launched the Phaunos Timber Fund, a closed-ended fund listed on the LSE, with over $500 million. The fund invested in timber properties all around the world. We then launched the Aqua Resources Fund, a LSE-listed private equity fund, focused on water and waste private investments. We also launched the Ceres...................... To view our full article Click here US Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton would crush GOP candidate Donald Trump, Jeb Bush says, the Republican who is trying to shake up his struggling presidential campaign. "Donald Trump, I dont believe, is going to be the partys nominee, Bush said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday. And if he is, hes going to get crushed by Hillary Clinton. I wanted to point that out. Trump leads the Republican field with 35 percent of support, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average of polls, despite making controversial remarks against Mexican immigrants, women and Muslims. Reprinted from Dispatches From The Edge Each year Dispatches From The Edge gives awards to individuals, companies, and governments that make following the news a daily adventure. Here are the awards for 2015 The First Amendment Award to U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter for issuing a new Law Of War manual that defines reporters as "unprivileged belligerents" who will lose their "privileged" status by "the relaying of information" which "could constitute taking a direct part in hostilities." Translation? If you report you are in the same class as members of al-Qaeda. A Pentagon spokesperson said that the military "supports and respects the vital work that journalists perform." Just so long as they keep what the see, hear, and discover to themselves? Professor of constitutional law Heidi Kitrosser called the language "alarming." Runner up is the U.S. Military College at West Point for hiring Assistant Professor of Law William C. Bradford, who argues that the military should target "legal scholars" who are critical of the "war on terrorism." Such critics are "treasonous," he says. Bradford proposes going after "law school facilities, scholars' home offices and media outlets where they give interviews." Bradford also favors attacking "Islamic holy sites," even if that means "great destruction, innumerable enemy casualties, and civilian collateral damage." The Little Bo Peep Award for losing track of things goes to the U.S. Defense Department for being unable to account for $35 billion in construction aid to Afghanistan, which is about $14 billion more than the country's GDP. The U.S. has spent $107.5 billion on reconstruction in Afghanistan, more than the Marshall Plan. Most of it went to private contractors. The Pentagon response to the report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan on the missing funds was to declare that all such information was now classified, because it might provide "sensitive information for those that threaten our forces and Afghan forces." It has since partially backed off that declaration. While it is only pocket change compared to Afghanistan, the Pentagon also could not account for more than $500 million in military aid to Yemen. The U.S. is currently aiding Saudi Arabia and a number of other Gulf monarchies that are bombing Houthi rebels battling the Yemeni government. Much of that aid was supposed to go for fighting Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), against which the U.S. is also waging a drone war. The most effective foes of AQAP are the Shiite Houthis. So we are supporting the Saudis and their allies against the Houthis, while fighting Al-Qaeda in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. If the reader is confused, Dispatches suggests taking a strong painkiller and lying down. Having issued a "Request for Proposal" (RFP) last February to consider its "outsourcing" of district foodservice, the Roanoke City School Board is currently deliberating the matter and expected to report their decision at an upcoming meeting on January 12th. Consequently, but having extended "A Challenge for Local Leaders" a year ago with the intent of initiating a dialogue to aid vitalizing the city's economy, this article examines whether outsourcing would serve to assure the community's overall well-being while simultaneously delivering healthy, high quality, nutritional food to local students. Although I wrote and issued, "A Challenge for Local Leaders" (McConnell) to Roanoke's City Council (see: "Council Actions 12-15-14") last December in hopes of directing a local citizenry's attention toward disparity gaps in the distribution of (national) wealth and income, I'd done so thinking my efforts might help inform and subsequently support community members in advocacy of their own best interests. Upon reflection though, perhaps my aim was overly ambitious given limits to our shared, civic awareness of even thirteen months ago. Nonetheless, but more currently, with recent publication of their, The Ecology of Law: Toward a Legal System in Tune with Nature and Community, Fritjof Capra and Ugo Mattei have stepped to the forefront of a notable group of thought leaders including, among others, "David Korten, Vandana Shiva" and "Jeremy Rifkin". Likewise, and as Capra further attests, a mutually shared theme running through these individuals' respective efforts affirms a "fundamental change of world view, or change of paradigms, that is now occurring in science and in society; the unfolding of a new systemic and ecological vision of reality, and the social implications of this cultural transformation" (Capra). For this reason however, and tracking Western law's expansion over the historical course of modernity's ensuing trajectory, the co-authors note "a fundamental change of metaphors: from seeing the world as a machine to understanding it as a network". Consequently, they've similarly "realized that nature sustains life through a set of ecological principles that are generative rather than extractive" [emphasis added] (Ibid.). As a result, but pointing to "the very theory of the sources of law" related to quantum physics and "a more realist legal vision" involving "the role of the interpreter's subjectivity", Capra and Mattei reveal how "neo-liberal theories" since "the last part of the twentieth century" have effectively co-opted "competition" in displacing "hierarchy as the way in which the machine of justice should operate". Moreover, they similarly disclose how 'market efficiency' has subsequently been appropriated to oversee "the irrationalities of the political process" separately from (its addressing) "the localized needs of communities" [emphasis added] (Capra and Mattei 126). Figure 1. 'Productivity and Consumption' - Adapted from Slide 8 of 15 (Hartley) (Image by Hunter Hartley - SlideShare (Brian McConnell)) Details DMCA Figure 1. "Productivity and Consumption" - Adapted from Slide 8 of 15 (Hartley) Would "Outsourcing" Foodservice Undermine the Community's Well-being? To this point then, and having already outsourced "bus transportation", "nursing services", and "substitutes" (Gregory), yet with relatively little resistance or opposition from citizen-stakeholders, it appears likely Roanoke's city school board may choose to abdicate its provision of student food service to corporate, for-profit, interests. Annette Lewis however, is just one among "several other board members" who expressed concerns in June about "whether the company chosen"; either Aramark, Chartwells or SodexoMagic, "would keep and maintain the district's contracts with local food, supply and equipment distributors". Concerning these misgivings "Steve Barnett, the "district's assistant superintendent for operations" and evaluation committee member, indicated "the companies are aware of the board's desire to keep local vendor contracts and maintain current benefit levels for staff." He subsequently implied that "it would be possible to incorporate those desires into the contract" but that such "stipulations" would need to be made "during the negotiating process to make sure that our employees are taken care of, as well as local vendors" (Gregory, Schools Negotiate). In August however, and in response to reservations expressed by "local food, supply and equipment vendors" afraid of being "edged out if the school district" decided "to outsource to a national company", superintendent "Rita Bishop reassured city council members that the district would incorporate into any contract a clause that would maintain relationships with local vendors." When Councilman Sherman Lea voiced similar qualms conveyed by "constituents who work for the district's food services division" about the likelihood they would "lose their jobs if the work is outsourced", Bishop retorted by saying that "our goal is to have no one lose their job". She further contended that "outsourcing would actually give food services employees a chance for greater job growth because of the lager pipeline that comes with a national company" and "that outsourcing would be best for students" (Gregory, School Leaders). Consequently, but over the last several months in particular, privatization's encroachment into local education is, for me anyway, presenting just cause for apprehension. Yet, and on a more positive note perhaps; beginning with Freeda Cathcart's arranging a screening and panel discussion of Education, Inc. at the Jackson Park Library in August, followed by Delegate Sam Rasoul's and State Senator John Edwards' co-hosting of the Second Annual Education Town Hall a few weeks later, concern for the well-being of Roanoke's school children may nevertheless be moving to the forefront of our community's collective attention. For these reasons too, but having conducted "A Community Building Workshop" in November to support the New Economy Coalition's - "New Economy Week 2015", in retrospect it seems particularly timely our forum featured a presentation by Bryan Pfeifer from the Virginia Education Association. Similarly, and in addition to the weekly volunteer work I do with Happy Healthy Cooks in facilitating a second grade classroom's appreciation of whole food theRoanoke Education Association's campaign to "Put Kids Before Profits" included a rally on December 7th at the Jefferson Center to "Stop Food Service Privatization in Roanoke. Likewise, and echoing the sentiments of VEA Vice-President Jeffrey Pennington, a recent Roanoke Times article (December 6th) documenting the county school district's "turnaround" of its food service deficit, offers strong evidence of viable alternatives to outsourcing. " Bettye Bell, the president of the Roanoke Education Association, said she wants the city to consider making changes internally, as the county has done. Bell sent a letter to school board members earlier this year, outlining her concerns that meal quality would suffer and that workers like her sister, who works in food services for the city, could lose their jobs " [emphasis added] from "Roanoke Co. reports food service turnaround" (Gregory, Turnaround) Affirming the case for effectively providing food services, after three consecutive years of deficits ($87,000; $213,000; and $92,000) the Roanoke County "school system's assistant superintendent of finance" announced "this fall" that their "nutrition department" had met "the board's request" and successfully turned "the deficit into a surplus of about a half-million dollars" (Ibid.). Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The brutal Saudi execution of Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr has led to protests around the globe, as well as the burning of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, followed by the Saudi severing of relations with Iran. This exacerbation of Sunni-Shia tensions is the result of the reckless Saudi action against a popular, nonviolent Shia leader. Also reckless is the US government's response, which has failed to condemn the Saudi government and distance itself from the abusive regime. On January 2, the Saudi government executed 47 people, most of them by beheading. Those executed included Sunnis convicted of Al Qaeda-affiliated attacks, as well as Shia opponents--Sheik Nimr Al-Nimr and three others arrested when they were still juveniles. The killing of Al-Nimr has sparked a massive reaction because he was a prominent religious leader who defended the Shia minority and criticized the abuses--both domestic and foreign--of the Saudi regime. He supported the 2011 anti-government protests in the Eastern Province, protests that erupted in the wake of the Arab Spring. The oil-rich Eastern Province is home to some 2 million Shiites, who have long complained of discrimination by the Sunni government. In response to increasingly vocal demands for reforms from Shiites, who constitute about 15 percent of the total population, Saudi authorities waged a harsh crackdown. Al-Nimr was arrested and imprisoned in 2012, then convicted of sedition, disobedience and bearing arms. He did not deny the political charges against him, but insisted he never carried weapons or called for violence. He also distanced himself from sectarian divisions. He called for people to stand up to tyrants regardless of their sect, from the Sunni rulers in Bahrain to Syria's Assad, who is from the Alawite sect of Shia Islam. "Sheikh al-Nimr preached that we should support the oppressed against the oppressor, regardless of religion," said Gulf scholar Ali al-Ahmed. To add insult to injury, Sheik al-Nimr's nephew, Ali al-Nimr, was targeted and arrested at the age of 17 for protesting government corruption, and his since been sentenced to beheading and public crucifixion . The Saudi government was well aware that killing Sheikh al-Nimr would enrage Shia both inside and outside the country. Their actions abroad have already raised sectarian tensions, such as the 2011 Saudi military intervention in Bahrain to crush a democratic revolt dominated by the country's majority Shiites. The Saudi military intervention in Yemen against the Houthis (a Shiite sect), an ongoing intervention that has killed thousands of innocents and caused a humanitarian crisis, has also angered the Shia community. And Saudi efforts to topple the Iranian-backed Assad regime in Syria also fuel tension between Saudi Arabia's Sunni leadership and its Shiite citizens. An additional factor fanning ethnic hatred has been ISIL attacks on Shiite mosques in the kingdom. Many Shiites hold the kingdom's religious establishment responsible for the attacks and maintain that Saudi officials turn a blind eye to ISIL's sectarian agenda in the kingdom. The cleric's execution will also complicate Saudi Arabia's relationship with the Shiite-led government in Iraq, where the Saudi embassy was just reopened for the first time in nearly 25 years. The US government has expressed concern that al-Nimr's execution risked "exacerbating sectarian tensions at a time when they urgently need to be reduced." The government understands that the explosive reaction to the al-Nimr execution has the potential to bring even more bloodshed to the Middle East, from derailing Syria peace talks to prolonging the war in Yemen to rekindling uprisings in Bahrain. But instead of insisting on al-Nimr's release during his years in prison and echoing Amnesty International's condemnation of his "deeply flawed" trial, the US government was silent. Even after the execution, the US refused to issue a strong denunciation . For decades US governments, both Democratic and Republican, have backed the kingdom. The US-Saudi alliance dates back to World War II, when US officials started to see Saudi's oil as a strategic advantage. Since then, the US has blindly supported the Kingdom in almost every political and economic effort, despite the fact that Saudi Arabia is an ultraconservative monarchy rife with human rights abuses. Saudi Arabia has consistently been ranked by Freedom House as one of the worst humans rights violators in the world. Earning the lowest possible score in all three categories of freedom, civil liberties and political rights, it is one of only ten nations considered "not free." Seymour Hersh's recent revelations about an effort by the US military leadership in 2013 to bolster the Syrian army against jihadist forces in Syria shed important new light on the internal bureaucratic politics surrounding regime change in US Middle East policy. Hersh's account makes it clear that the Obama administration's policy of regime change in both Libya and Syria provoked pushback from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). That account and another report on a similar episode in 2011 suggest that the US military has a range of means by which it can oppose administration policies that it regards as unacceptable. But it also shows that the military leadership failed to alter the course of US policy, and raises the question whether it was willing to use all the means available to stop the funnelling of arms to al-Nusra Front and other extremist groups in Syria. Hersh details a JCS initiative in the summer of 2013 to share intelligence on Islamic State and al-Qaeda organisations with other German, Russian and Israeli militaries, in the belief that the information would find its way to the Syrian army. Hersh reports that the military leadership did not inform the White House and the State Department about the "military to military" intelligence sharing on the jihadist forces in Syria, reflecting the hardball bureaucratic politics practised within the national security institutions. The 2013 initiative approved by the chairman of the JCS, General Martin Dempsey, was not the first active effort by the US military to mitigate Obama administration regime change policies. In 2011, the JCS had been strongly opposed to the effort to depose the Muammar Gaddafi regime in Libya led by then secretary of state Hillary Clinton. When the Obama administration began its effort to overthrow Gaddafi, it did not call publicly for regime change and instead asserted that it was merely seeking to avert mass killings that administration officials had suggested might approach genocidal levels. But the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which had been given the lead role in assessing the situation in Libya, found no evidence to support such fears and concluded that it was based on nothing more than "speculative arguments." The JCS warned that overthrowing the Gaddafi regime would serve no US security interest, but would instead open the way for forces aligned with al-Qaeda to take over the country. After the Obama administration went ahead with a NATO air assault against the Gaddafi regime the US military sought to head off the destruction of the entire Libyan government. General Carter Ham, the commander of AFRICOM, the US regional command for Africa gave the State Department a proposal for a ceasefire to which Gaddafi had agreed. It would have resulted in Gaddafi's resignation but retain the Libyan military's capacity to hold off jihadist forces and rescind the sanctions against Gaddafi's family. But the State Department refused any negotiation with Gaddafi on the proposal. Immediately after hearing that Gaddafi had been captured by rebel forces and killed, Clinton famously joked in a television interview, "We came, we saw, he died" and laughed. By then the administration was already embarked on yet another regime change policy in Syria. Although Clinton led the public advocacy of the policy, then CIA director David Petraeus, who had taken over the agency in early September 2011, was a major ally. He immediately began working on a major covert operation to arm rebel forces in Syria. The CIA operation used ostensibly independent companies in Libya to ship arms from Libyan government warehouses to Syria and southern Turkey. These were then distributed in consultation with the United States through networks run by Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The plan went into operation within days of Gaddafi's death on October 20, 2011 just before NATO officially ended its operation at the end of that month, as the DIA later reported to the JCS. But the result of the operation was to accelerate the dominance of al-Qaeda and their Islamist allies. The Turks, Qataris and Saudis were funnelling arms to al-Qaeda's Syrian franchise, al-Nusra Front or other closely related extremist groups. That should not have surprised the Obama administration. The same thing had happened in Libya in spring 2011 after the Obama administration had endorsed a Qatari plan to send arms to Libyan rebels. The White House had quickly learned that the Qataris had sent the arms to the most extremist elements in the Libyan opposition. The original Petraeus covert operation ended with the torching of the US consulate in Benghazi in September 2012 in which Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. It was superseded by a new program under which Qatar and Saudi Arabia financed the transfer of weapons from other sources that were supposed to be distributed in cooperation with CIA officials at a base in southern Turkey. But "thousands of tons of weapons" were still going to groups fighting alongside the jihadists or who actually joined them as Vice-President Joe Biden revealed in 2014. By spring 2013, al-Nusra Front and its Islamic extremist allies were already in control of wide areas in the north and in the Damascus suburbs. The Islamic State had separated from al-Nusra Front and established its own territory south of the Turkish border. The secular armed opposition had ceased to exist as a significant force. The "Free Syrian Army," the nominal command of those forces, was actually a fiction within Syria, as was reported by specialists on the Syrian conflict. But despite the absence of a real "moderate opposition," the Obama administration continued to support the flood of arms to the forces fighting to overthrow Assad. In mid-2013, as Hersh recounts, the DIA issued an intelligence assessment warning that the administration's regime change policy might well result in a repeat of what was already happening in Libya: chaos and jihadist domination. The JCS also pulled off a clever manoeuvre to ensure that the jihadists and their allies were getting only obsolete weapons. A JCS representative convinced the CIA to obtain much cheaper arms from Turkish stocks controlled by officials sympathetic to the CIA's viewpoint on Syria. But the JCS failed to alter the administration's policy of continuing to support the flow of arms into Syria. Did the military leadership really use all of its leverage to oppose the policy? In 2013, some officials on the US National Security Council staff pushed for a relatively modest form of pressure on Qatar to get it to back off its continued supply of arms to extremists, including al-Nusra Front, by pulling out a US fighter squadron from the US air base at al-Udeid in Qatar. But as the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year, the Pentagon, obviously reflecting the JCS position, vetoed the proposal, arguing that the forward headquarters of the Central Command at the airbase was "vital" to US operations in the Middle East. The political implications of the episode are clear: bureaucratic self-interest trumped the military's conviction that US security is being endangered. No matter how strongly the JCS may have felt about the recklessness of administration policy, they were not prepared to sacrifice their access to military bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia or Turkey to pressure their Middle Eastern allies. Reprinted from www.huffingtonpost.com by Omer Aziz The first thing you need to know about Saudi Arabia is that it is not a country but a financial and religious empire with a million poisonous tentacles stretching across both the West and the Muslim world. Its wealth is built upon the dirty oil under its sands, its legitimacy crafted upon an even dirtier political deal with a totalitarian religious cult known as Wahhabism. The Saudi Royal Family treats the country as its private property. When the House of Saud conquered the territory known as Arabia, they named the country after themselves, hence the Saudi before the Arabia. It is more of a corporation than anything else, except The Family controls Islam's holiest cities and profits handsomely off them. Saudi Arabia should have made more news last week than it did. For starters, it was the anniversary of 9/11, and Saudi Arabia played at least an indirect role in Al Qaeda's attacks on Washington and New York. More on that in a minute. But a Saudi billionaire also donated $10 million to Yale University and Yale Law School to establish a Center of Islamic Law and Civilization. The official announcement marked this as a great triumph. The establishment of such a center would have indeed been a victory worth celebrating had the money not originated from such a dubious source. The Saudi billionaire-donor is named Abdullah Kamel. He is the CEO of the Dallah Albaraka Group, a Saudi conglomerate. Dallah Albaraka Group was a named defendant in a lawsuit brought by the families of 9/11 victims. Many of these suits were eventually dismissed on jurisdictional grounds, but a suit against Dallah Avco, a subsidiary of Dallah Albaraka Group, is currently in the discovery stage. Dallah Avco is an aviation company with ties to the Saudi Air Force -- the same air force dropping bombs on Yemenis this very second, mutilating and killing thousands of them. Dallah Avco employed a man named Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi citizen who held a do-nothing job with the company while he was befriending and helping two of the 9/11 hijackers. The Dallah AlBaraka Group and Abdullah Kamel undoubtedly operate with the blessings of the Saudi Royal Family, whose role in the 9/11 attacks is finally starting to be exposed. Earlier this year, the "20th hijacker," Zacarious Moussaoui, directly accused the Saudi Royal Family of knowing about the 9/11 attacks in advance and funding al Qaeda's plot. The Joint Congressional Inquiry into 9/11 redacted 28 crucial pages dealing with alleged Saudi involvement in the planning and execution of the attacks. Bob Graham, former senator and ex-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has said in sworn statements that the Saudi government assisted the 9/11 terrorists. Occam's Razor directs the proponents of any theory to eliminate unnecessary assumptions. In the case of 9/11, 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. They came from a country run by absolute monarchs, where information is tightly controlled, where a company known as the Saudi Bin Laden Group is the largest construction conglomerate. Trace the money back to its roots, and you quickly find that this "gift" tarnishes Yale beyond measure. But the Saudi-Yale deal is about more than Yale or 9/11, much more. It is about elite institutions constantly prostrating at the feet of the Saudi Royal Family. The Family has given Harvard and Georgetown $40 million. They have funded research at leading scientific institutions to maximize Saudi oil output. They have donated to leading foundations, including the Clinton Foundation. They have paid for fundamentalist imams in American prisons. From California to India, they have erected a mammoth infrastructure of Wahhabist madrassas which indoctrinate impressionable young men to the virtues of their cause. In this last charge alone, the Saudi Royal Family's dollars are drenched in blood. The House of Saud came to power in the 1700s by making a deal with a fanatical preacher named Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, who taught that Islam had to be stripped down to its puritan essence. All later adaptations were eliminated because they were seen as sinful. A Muslim had to adhere to the Wahhabists' literal interpretation of scripture or risk being deemed an apostate, and thus, liable to be murdered. Visits to the shrines of saints were criminalized as idolatrous. The Shia, the Sufis, the Ahmadis--all Muslim minorities--were thought to have deviated from the One True Path and so they, too, could be killed. Because Wahhab and his gang claimed to be defending Islam, their violence was legitimated as jihad. Homosexuals and blasphemers were to be put to death. Adulterers were to be stoned. Thieves were to have their hands amputated. In the Saudi-Wahhab deal, Wahhab pledged to "support the ruler, supplying him with glory and power" if Muhammad Ibn Saud made Wahhabist doctrine his official dogma. In the early 1800s, the Saudis took over Makkah and destroyed the monuments built to the Prophet Muhammad's family. The Prophet's tomb itself was just barely saved. They destroyed the cemetery where members of the Prophet's family were buried. They ransacked the holy Shia city of Karbala in Iraq, mass-murdered women and children, and pillaged the tomb of Husain, the Prophet's nephew and the spiritual leader of the world's Shia. In more modern times, the Saudis have spent upwards of $100 billion building madrassas around the world. In Pakistan, once a relatively liberal country, the number of Saudi-funded fundamentalist madrassas went from 900 to 32,000 in over a decade. These madrassas did not produce engineers and doctors but religious fanatics. Some of the students in these madrassas became leaders of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Simply put: You do not get today's Sunni-Shia war without the Saudi Royal Family exporting Wahhabism, an ideology with conflict and plunder inherent in its core. The legacy of Saud and Wahhab continues, though now with a Las Vegas bent. Makkah--Islam's holiest city and the destination of the Hajj pilgrimage which attracts over 3 million Muslims annually--is surrounded by cranes and construction facilities building hotels and luxury shopping centers that loom over Islam's holiest sites. In recent years, the house of Khadijah, the Prophet's wife, was destroyed to build toilets. The house of Abu Bakr, the Prophet's companion, was razed to build a Hilton hotel. Over 98% of Arabia's religious heritage sites, and thus Islamic history, have been destroyed. If all of this sounds eerily like ISIS it is because ISIS and Saudi Arabia share the exact same ideology. The Saudis just happen to be our friends. The man who gave Yale that $10 million check hails from the most totalitarian country on earth, second perhaps only to North Korea. Enforced as official dogma in the Kingdom are the two most fundamental and ancient forms of totalitarianism: Man's control over the bodies of women and his control over the thoughts of all citizens. Women live under a segregationist, sexist, apartheid state. The thought-murdering ideology of Wahhabism criminalizes dissent before it can even germinate in individual consciences. The law is not supreme; the House of Saud is. The purpose of the law is not to serve and protect but to preserve the Family and destroy the minds and bodies of its enemies, beginning with the Shia. The study of Islamic civilization is desperately needed in the West. The writings of ancient Greek philosophers were translated and preserved by Muslim philosophers and scientists in the great libraries of Baghdad. Our numerical system is owed to Persian and Arab mathematicians. Much of our current understanding in physics, calculus, philosophy, political economy, medicine, indeed, the scientific method itself, is owed at least in part to Islam's golden age. Try and get to the Renaissance and Enlightenment without Islam's discoveries and you will find yourself stuck in the Dark Ages. Islamic civilization was open, tolerant, diverse. Wahhabism and the Saudi Royal Family inverted all of that, built a sectarian empire, and with their oil money, bought off those who could be bought, and imposed themselves on everyone else. The Yale gift makes a mockery of this rich history. Saudi money should not be funding any more programs in the United States or elsewhere because the money is stained with both blood and oil. It was extracted from the ground, but the extractors got to where they are by stomping upon the bones of their fellow Muslims. Let justice be done, though the heavens fall, goes the ancient quote, but justice will never be done if this organized crime family continued to buy our loyalty. Mr. Kamel's check should be returned to him and his Saudi patrons with clear instructions that they spend the money making amends for The Family's many crimes against humanity, their genocide of Islamic civilization. Follow Omer Aziz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/omeraziz12 More persons died from drug overdoses in 2014 than during any previous year on record. That Centers for Disease Control and prevention issued that stark statement a week before Christmas, reporting that 47,055 Americans died of drug overdoses during 2014, a 14 percent increase from 2013. Since the turn of the century, the CDC said, more than half a million Americans have died of drug overdoses. Opioids (heroin, morphine, OxyContin, Oxycodone, fentanyl and others) are the reason for the surge in overdose deaths. This death trend mirrors the rise in both use of prescription opioids and in the use of heroin. Montana and Wyoming have joined other states in efforts to curb misuse of prescription painkillers, including creation of statewide prescription drug registries. The Montana Medical Association and the Montana Attorney General's Office are cooperating on provider and public information efforts. In 2014, Montana reported 125 drug overdose deaths for a rate of 12.4 per 100,000 population, slightly below the national average of 14.7. Wyoming reported 109 deaths for a rate of 19.4. The highest death rate in the region was in Utah, which reported 603 drug overdose deaths for a rate of 22.4. The Dakotas reported overdose death rates below 8 while Idaho reported a rate of 13.7. "Alarming" is how CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., described the one-year increase. "To curb these trends and save lives, we must help prevent addiction and provide support and treatment to those who suffer from opioid use disorders. This report also shows how important it is that law enforcement intensify efforts to reduce the ail ability of heroin, illegal fentanyl and other illegal opioids." It's not only illegal drug users who overdose, According to Consumer Reports, about 60 percent of overdoses occur in people who were prescribed the drug by a single physician not in doctor shoppers with multiple prescribers. The largest increase in opioid deaths last year involved synthetic drugs that are routinely prescribed by doctors as painkillers, CDC said. There were 5,000 such deaths reported in 2014, nearly double the number in 2013. Heroin overdoses accounted for more deaths in 2014 (10,574), a 26 percent increase from 2013. The CDC noted a dangerous connection between heroin and prescription opioids: "Past misuse of prescription opioids is the strongest risk factor for heroin initiation and use." In a September report on "America's Scary Pain Pill Habit," Consumer Reports noted that: "People who take opioids for more than a few weeks often develop tolerance, so they require higher doses, which in turn breeds dependence." Consumer Reports emphasized that opioid painkillers should be prescribed at the lowest possible effective dose for the shortest possible time with the doctor monitoring for side effects, which can be serious. The CDC said the latest research indicates four ways to stop the overdose epidemic: 1. Prevent misuse and addiction. Prescriptions for opioid painkillers have quadrupled since 1999. Health care professionals need information to make safer prescribing decisions. 2. Expand access to effective addiction treatment, including medication-assisted treatment. 3. Increase the availability of naloxone, a drug that can reverse the symptoms of an opioid overdose and save lives. 4. Collaboration by local public health, law enforcement and coroners to improve detection and response to address this threat to public health and safety. The major takeaway from the dire overdose report is that painkillers must be used carefully. Patients and their caregivers need full information, they must read the labels and follow instructions and keep in touch with their doctors about any problems that may be related to their treatment. Pain management is important and risky. The challenge for patients and prescribers is to alleviate suffering without causing harm. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Kall's Bottom-up explores refreshing yet timeless ways of seeing and ways of thinking about economics, knowledge and wisdom. He presents his message, that decentralized, local and small are both good and healthy in business and economics, in a model that makes sense and offers practical solutions." Amar Bhide, professor of Economics, Tufts University, former editor, Capitalism and Society, author, The Venturesome Economy: How Innovation Sustains Prosperity in a More Connected World (Image by Scott Baker) Details DMCA Thanks to Tsara Shelton for help with transcript editing. Rob: Welcome to Rob Kall Bottom Up Radio Show WNJC 1360 AM out of Washington Township reaching Metro Philly and South Jersey. Sponsored by opednews.com My guest tonight is Scott Baker. Scott's one of the managing editors and the economics editor for OpEdNews, he's a lecturer at the New York Henry George School, and the New York coordinator for the Public Banking institute. I'm having him on to talk about his new book, America Is Not Broke-- Four Multi-trillion Dollar Paths to a Thriving America. Welcome to the show Scott. SB: Thank you. It's good to be here and it's good to talk about the book. Rob: Yeah, so what's the basic concept of the book? SB: Well basically, I'm challenging the notion that America is out of money, that we can't afford social programs, that we can't cut taxes on people who need it to be cut such as the middle class. And that we're basically in decline because there's no way we can afford not to be and I'm doing it from a different way, not from the usual way where I just say we should tax the rich more, although we should, but certain kinds of wealth. I'm trying to show that there are four big solutions, four macro-economic solutions that people don't even know about that would put trillions into the economy. So if I can do that, and people understand it at a gut level, then we really have a different conversation. Rob: Trillions into the economy. Why isn't this being done if it's available? SB: Well some people they just don't know and the people who do know are not wanting to do it because they're basically rentiers, they're seeking rent. And these things would undermine all of that. For example, money creation itself is a province of the bank, it's a monopoly of the banks. It could be done by the government itself, it has been done by the government under Lincoln's, President Lincoln's administration. We had something called the Greenbacks or the United States Notes, that was sovereign money that was debt free money. It was produced to pay the civil war costs when the banks wanted 24-36% interest. And that's something that's allowed under the coinage clause, which is article 1 section 8 clause 5 of the constitution which SCOTUS, the Supreme Court rather, has upheld in Julliard vs Greenman as being a way that the United States can produce paper money and that it doesn't have to go to a bank or borrow it or even raise taxes. It has this provision where it can produce money as it needs to. So that's one thing, that's of four solutions. There's other ones, there's land value taxation. Rob: Well wait, why don't you list the four different ones so we have them up front. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Truthdig Terror, intimidation and violence are the glue that holds empire together. Aerial bombardment, drone and missile attacks, artillery and mortar strikes, targeted assassinations, massacres, the detention of tens of thousands, death squad killings, torture, wholesale surveillance, extraordinary renditions, curfews, propaganda, a loss of civil liberties and pliant political puppets are the grist of our wars and proxy wars. Countries we seek to dominate, from Indonesia and Guatemala to Iraq and Afghanistan, are intimately familiar with these brutal mechanisms of control. But the reality of empire rarely reaches the American public. The few atrocities that come to light are dismissed as isolated aberrations. The public is assured what has been uncovered will be investigated and will not take place again. The goals of empire, we are told by a subservient media and our ruling elites, are virtuous and noble. And the vast killing machine grinds forward, feeding, as it has always done, the swollen bank accounts of defense contractors and corporations that exploit natural resources and cheap labor around the globe. There are very few journalists who have covered empire with more courage, tenacity and integrity than Allan Nairn. For more than three decades, he has reported from Central America, East Timor, Palestine, South Africa, Haiti and Indonesia -- where Indonesian soldiers fractured his skull and arrested him. His reporting on the Indonesian government massacres in East Timor saw him branded a "threat to national security" and officially banned from occupied East Timor. Nairn returned clandestinely to East Timor on numerous occasions. His dogged reporting of torture and killing of civilians by the Indonesian military contributed to the U.S. Congress suspending military aid to Jakarta in 1993. He exposed U.S. complicity with death squads and paramilitary organizations carrying out murderous rampages in El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti. During the 2014 presidential elections in Indonesia, where he spends much of his time, Nairn was threatened with arrest for exposing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto's role in atrocities. Nairn's reporting on army massacres was an important component in the trial of former Guatemalan President Efrain Ros Montt. Gen. Montt ordered the killing of over 1,700 people in the Ixil region of the country in the early 1980s and was convicted in 2013 of genocide and crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to 80 years in prison. The conviction was later overturned. Nairn, whom I spoke with in New York, reaches back to the genocide carried out against Native Americans, the institution of slavery and the murder of hundreds of workers and labor union organizers in the 19th and early 20th century to explain the roots of American imperial violence. He noted that, although wholesale massacres have become taboo on American soil in recent generations, the FBI was carrying out selective assassinations of black radicals, including Fred Hampton, in the 1960s. And police show little constraint in gunning down unarmed people of color in poor communities. But overseas there are no restrictions. The indiscriminate slaughter of real or imagined opponents is considered a prerogative of imperial power. Violence is the primary language we use to speak to the rest of the world. Equivalents of Wounded Knee and My Lai take place beyond our borders with an unacknowledged frequency. "To this day," Nairn said, "it is politically permissible for U.S. forces to carry out or sponsor assassinations of civilians -- students, journalists, religious leaders, peasant organizers, whomever. In fact, in U.S. politics, if presidents are reluctant, or seem reluctant to do this, they get castigated. They get called a wimp. George Bush Sr. came under vicious attack when he attempted through covert means to mount a coup in Panama against [Manuel] Noriega and it failed. And there was a cover[of Newsweek, with the headline 'Fighting the "Wimp Factor"'] where they were attacking Bush Sr. for not being strong enough." "I think it was within a week after that he invaded Panama formally, an invasion that included the burning of the neighborhood called El Chorrillo, where hundreds were killed, a poor neighborhood. The New York Times then ran a front-page analysis by R.W. Apple which said that Bush Sr. had completed his presidential initiation rite by demonstrating his willingness to shed blood," Nairn went on. "Not his own blood, but the blood of foreigners, including of foreign civilians." "It's basically a refusal on the part of American society to enforce the murder laws when the killings are done by presidents or generals, and where the victims are foreigners," he said. "Now, all big powers do this. But in the recent period, because the U.S. has been the dominant power, the U.S. has the biggest death toll. If you added all the operations up it would go into the several millions. Just to list the ones that I've personally seen and tried to expose and fight against: Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, South Africa, Palestine, East Timor, Indonesia, southern Thailand. I'm sure I'm leaving out a few. The U.S. has used the Pentagon, the CIA, occasionally the State Department to set up or back local forces, help them gather intelligence on dissidents, and help them provide the means to carry out systematic assassinations." Assassinations and torture are often accompanied in these wars and proxy wars by massacres by government troops that routinely "wipe out whole villages," Nairn said, "The Guatemalan military did that, especially during the early '80s when the Reagan administration was backing them enthusiastically under the time of the dictator Gen. Rios Montt," Nairn said. "They would go into villages in the Mayan highlands in the northwest. ... I was there, I spoke to the soldiers as they were doing it, I spoke to survivors ... [and] they would decapitate people. They would crucify people. They would use the tactics that ISIS today puts on video that are now shocking the world." "The powers have always been willing to use these tactics," he said. "And for centuries they were proud of it. All you have to do is look at the holy texts of the major religions -- the Bible, the Quran, the Torah. They're full of one massacre after another. People forget. The story of David and Goliath is put forward as a great story. At the end of that story David decapitates Goliath. He parades around holding up his head. For years and years the powers were proud of these tactics. They advertised it." "As recently as the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt, U.S. presidents were still boasting about it," Nairn said. "Go back and read [Roosevelt's] writings. He's repeatedly ... talking about the necessity to shed blood, the necessity to kill. Otherwise a person could not be healthy, otherwise a polity could not be healthy. This was Teddy Roosevelt. You can't do that in today's U.S. You can't do that really in any major country today. The only partial exception to that at the level of rhetoric is Israel. Israeli generals and politicians still talk openly about the need to shed Palestinian blood. But they're really the only ones. Everywhere else -- Europe, Russia, China, the U.S. -- they have to hide their [activities]." I first met Nairn in 1984 while I was covering the war in El Salvador. In that year he published an explosive investigative piece in The Progressive magazine titled "Behind the Death Squads." The article detailed U.S. backing, training and arming of the death squads in El Salvador that were murdering, and often torturing and mutilating, hundreds of people a month. His article led to an investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee. U.S. commanders in Iraq, attempting to quell the Sunni insurgency in 2004, reached back to the terror tactics used in El Salvador. They formulated a plan called "The Salvador Option" to train and arm Shiite paramilitary units. Former U.S. Army Col. James Steele, who in the 1980s in El Salvador headed the U.S. Military Group or MilGroup, which advised the Salvadoran army during the war, was sent to Iraq by Donald Rumsfeld as a civilian adviser. Steele, who had fought in Vietnam, was assigned to the Iraqi paramilitary Special Police Commandos, a unit known as the "Wolf Brigade." Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister announcing cutting diplomatic ties with Iran So what to make of Saudi Arabia cutting all diplomatic ties with Iran? This after hundreds of Iranian's stormed and ransacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran in reaction to the Saudi monarchy executing Saudi Shiite cleric Sheikh Nims al-Nims-along with 46 others-who called for the overthrow of the Saudi monarchy. It certainly won't be on the radar of most Americans-beyond the brutality of the multiple executions- which will soon be forgotten. Be that as it may, the enmity between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia go back centuries up to and including present day- what with the Saudi's, a feudal Sunni Wahhabi indoctrinated majority illegally bombing neighboring Yemen for the last 10 months, this after accusing Shiite Iran of supporting the Shiite Yemeni Houthi's who had overthrown the Sunni led government of President Abd Mansur Hadi in Sanaa. The two countries are on opposite sides of the Syrian conflict with the Saudi's bankrolling the Islamic State (IS) and assorted al Qaeda mercenary rebels fighting against the Shia Alawite sect of Bashar Assad's regime in Syria with the Iranian's fighting alongside Assad's Syrian Arab Army. The countries face each other across the Persian Gulf not only divided by the Sunni-Shiite sectarian divide but are the primary Islamic powers influencing the region. Though Iran's demographic of 75 million is four times the size of Saudi Arabia's 18 million nationals, the Saudi's close military alliance with the US and recent entente with Israel make it a formidable opponent of Iran. Add to the volatile mix is the 15% Shiite minority in Saudi Arabia located in the east of the country, the largest oil producing area where Sheikh Nims was the spiritual leader for Shiite's protesting against the regime. And let's not forget this whole Sunni-Shiite divide was further exacerbated by the US invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003 overthrowing the minority Sunni led regime of Saddam Hussein, then subsequently installing a majority Shiite led government in Baghdad that repressed the Sunni minority giving birth to al Qaeda in Iraq that metastasized itself into IS in Syria and Iraq. So this latest split between Saudi Arabia and Iran over the execution of a Shiite cleric and Iranian's storming the Saudi embassy in Tehran resulting in the complete break of diplomatic ties between the two is an escalation but hardly a game changer. Not while the Saudi monarchy, though a brutal, autocratic regime and a main financial, proxy backer of IS-the avowed enemy of the US-remains a staunch US ally. This also reveals the schizophrenic nature of US foreign policy to which most Americans seem oblivious to even as the alliance remains the most odious of US foreign entanglements. Not that Americans would hear it put that way by the fawning corporate MSM which treats the Saudi's with kid gloves, certainly not condemning them even though they are the primary financial backer of terrorists in the world. Maybe those repulsive executions carried out by the Saudi monarchy will catch the eye of people everywhere revealing the barbaric nature of the regime beyond the sectarian divide in Sunni-Shiite Islam. Then again, there's the mindless gun violence in the US showing the extent of our barbarism that goes unabated. At times it seems madness, rather than sanity, is raging in the world leading to what...the unthinkable? The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 91-78 at the Moda Center. Damian Lillard, who had missed the last seven games with left foot plantar fasciitis, played in his first game since Dec. 20, recording 17 points and seven assists in 36 minutes. But the two-time All-Star made just 4 of 14 shots, including 2 of 10 three-pointers, and committed seven turnovers in a rusty performance. Zach Randolph finished with 26 points and 18 rebounds for Memphis. Check out the comments section below to offer your thoughts on the Blazers and tonight's game. Afterward, visit OregonLive.com/blazers for a recap and more coverage. --Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman We are also referring to them as "self-styled militia" to recognize that the terms "militia" and "militiamen" were originally widely used to describe the activists who descended on Burns over the past few weeks. They have occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, a federal facility. We're not alone in wrestling with the issue of how to label the protesters. Here's the The Oregonian/OregonLive is referring to the group that has taken over a federal building in rural Oregon as militants, deciding that word best describes the loosely organized protesters vowing to fight the federal government.We are also referring to them as "self-styled militia" to recognize that the terms "militia" and "militiamen" were originally widely used to describe the activists who descended on Burns over the past few weeks. They have occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, a federal facility.We're not alone in wrestling with the issue of how to label the protesters. Here's the Washington Post's article on the subject: Almost all major news outlets surveyed on Sunday said they were avoiding the use of the words "terrorist" and "terrorism" in connection with the Oregon protest, saying it was unclear that the group's action was designed to terrorize or harm anyone. "We are mainly referring to them as 'protesters' or 'armed men who are occupying the refuge headquarters,' " said Kim Murphy, the assistant managing editor for foreign and national news at the Los Angeles Times. "Patriots or domestic terrorists?" was the Christian Science Monitor's "Patriots or domestic terrorists?" was the Christian Science Monitor's online headline. Words matter in journalism. Is water boarding torture? Is someone anti-abortion or anti-choice? Is a politician liberal or progressive? The dictionary defines "militia" as this: "a group of people who are not part of the armed forces of a country but are trained like soldiers." There is no indication that members of the group at the Malheur refuge are trained like soldiers. A fuller definition is: "a: a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency b : a body of citizens organized for military service." Those definitions, from Merriam-Webster, do not seem to fit. However, editors recognize that language is a living thing and dictionary definitions do not always fully capture the cultural and contextual meaning words take on. But at the end of the day, to us, "militant" seems more accurate than "militiaman." Militant is defined as "having or showing a desire or willingness to use strong, extreme, and sometimes forceful methods to achieve something." What do you think? Watch the video and tell us in the comments. By the editors of Yomiuri Shimbun How do we restore stability to the international order? The world is now facing a critical challenge. The indiscriminate terrorist attacks in Paris by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) extremist group caused great distress to international community. In reaction to the wave of terrorism and the huge influx of refugees from the Middle East, exclusionary moves are gaining momentum in Europe and in the United States. Attempts to change the status quo by force are rampant as Russia's annexation of Crimea continues and China continues to build mili-tary strongholds on artificial islands in the South China Sea. The world looks as if it is going to fall apart as freedom, equality, rule of law and other values that should be deemed as common falter. If the international order collapses, Japan's security also will be threatened. We need to be more aware of impending crises and confront the threats squarely. A presidential election will be held in the United States this year. The country's leadership will be on the wane. Japan, under such circumstances, will host the Group of Seven summit (Ise-Shima summit) and also become a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council. Responsibilities heavier than ever before will be thrust upon Japan to help unite international community and coordinate varying interests. Domestically, it has the urgent task of boosting economic growth as the population dwindles. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration, along with its initiative to promote "a society that enables the dynamic engagement of all citizens," will face the judgment of voters in the House of Councillors election in summer. A plan to further ensure economic recovery should be initiated. To brighten the future of Japan in a tumultuous world, we hope this will be a year of progress. 'Antiterrorism' unity urgent Young people and others who sympathize with the extremist ideas of ISIL are wounding and killing defenseless people around them. Terrorist acts have spread around the world. Fear is inducing actions to eliminate anything that is foreign. Within the boundaries of the European Union, border inspections are being reinstalled one after another - contrary to the Schengen Agreement, which in principle states that such inspections are unnecessary. The idea of free movement of persons, a cornerstone of European integration, is wavering. Even in the United States, a nation of immigrants, an undercurrent of refusing the entry of refugees and Muslims has gained strength. If the movement of people, goods and capital across borders is threatened, this could indeed become a destabilizing factor for the world economy. The world does not have a future unless we are victorious in the "war on terror" to eliminate the threat posed by ISIL and contain acts of violence. The Syrian civil war is the epicenter of all this. The United States, European nations, Russia, Turkey and other countries involved should coordinate efforts swiftly with regard to military operations and transition of power. ISIL has declared that Japan is also a terrorism target. With the upcoming summit in mind, antiterrorist measures within Japan's boundaries are inadequate. If information-gathering on extremist groups and steps taken to prevent terrorism based on such information are inadequate, Japan will end up as the weakest link in international efforts to fight terrorism. The legal system should be inspected for any flaws and revamped to fulfill Japan's political responsibilities. China's maritime territorial claims in the South China Sea are baseless under international law. However, they are aiming to make these claims a fait accompli. Actions that threaten the safety of the sea line of communication are contrary to the interests of international community. To rein in such moves, the United States has sent warships to areas surrounding the artificial islands and engaged in other operations. It is necessary for Japan, Australia, India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to further strengthen cooperation and use every opportunity including international forums to demand that China restrain itself. In order to counter Chinese pressure in areas surrounding the Senkaku Islands, the security-related laws must be implemented properly to enhance the deterrent powers of the Japan-U.S. alliance. Make good use of security laws China, the world's second-largest economic power, is currently experiencing a worsening business slowdown. The state of affairs could disturb the world due to such factors as a drop in resource prices. Developed nations - including Britain and Germany, both of which are becoming closer to China in economic terms - should make concerted efforts to cope with the situation. In pursuit of that goal, these countries should urge China to trim excessive production capacity and promote other structural reforms. In addressing issues such as those related to North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles and the Ukraine situation, Japan should also strive to form a consensus among pertinent nations at the summit meeting and U.N. conferences. Three years have passed since the inauguration of the second administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Despite corporations' improved business performance and higher stock prices, the sentiment that the economy has improved has not prevailed. As circumstances stand now, little headway is being made in efforts to achieve economic revitalization through the Abenomics economic policy. The root of this situation is clear. The government's growth strategy has not yet fully worked to fight a decline in the nation's potential growth rate due to a population decrease. The prime minister has unveiled a fresh set of policy targets dubbed the "new three arrows," the first of which will seek to raise our nation's gross domestic product to Y=600 trillion in nominal terms. Reinforcing the growth policy is the only way to achieve that goal. Required measures include promoting deregulation in the fields of medical and nursing care services, agriculture and others. Efforts should be made to ensure that technological advancement in such fields as information technology and robotics lead to further industrial development. It is also necessary to make the most of a broad agreement reached in multilateral talks over the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact last year. The measures hammered out up to now should be reinforced to ensure that their purposes are better served. Another case in point is how to make efficient use of such resources as household financial assets totaling a hefty Y=1.7 quadrillion and internal reserves worth Y=350 trillion kept at corporations. The question is whether there are any ways to better use these resources for the pursuit of growth. It is necessary to exercise wisdom in devising bold new policy measures. It has been about 25 years since the collapse of the bubble economy. Under protracted deflation, households and corporations became strongly negative about spending money, a state of mind that is firmly entrenched among them. Few households are willing to increase consumption, despite expanded employment and higher wages. Meanwhile, corporations remain cautious about investment, notwithstanding their success in generating profits at record high levels. Dispel fear of spending To lay such a deflationary mind-set to rest and elicit positive behavior, it is necessary to implement measures aimed at dispelling the anxieties felt by households and corporations. Nonregular employees account for a considerable 40 percent of the total labor force. Lower wages and unstable employment status leave such workers apprehensive about their future. Therefore, nonregular employees are reluctant to increase consumption despite hikes in their wages. The second arrow to be released as part of Abe's new policy package is to achieve the hopeful fertility rate target of 1.8 - a numerical goal that would be accomplished if women had babies as they wished. The third one is to attain the goal of making sure no one must quit his or her job to provide nursing care for relatives. We believe the government is on the right track as it seeks to dispel the anxiety felt by people about raising their children and nursing their relatives, combined with efforts to increase the workforce, including women. However, such efforts alone will not be enough to achieve the intended goals. Further efforts are needed to help nonregular workers, who tend to be younger employees, to become regular workers. Companies should reform work methods, such as by reducing long working hours and helping employees develop their skills and abilities, to give people in the workforce a brighter future. Corporate anxiety originates from the view that Japan's shrinking population will cause domestic markets to shrink, which will make turning a profit impossible even if a company makes investments. It is important to push ahead with ongoing efforts to widely lift the aspirations of businesses, such as by easing regulations in an effort to create new markets. Discussions between the public and private sectors, namely between the government and the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and other entities, resulted in the effective corporate tax rate being trimmed ahead of schedule. We hope both sides will continue to productively use forums in which they can exchange opinions. In industrial circles, there are demands for a reduction in electricity charges, which have remained at a high level, to help cut operating costs. To achieve this, it will be necessary to restart nuclear power plants that have been confirmed safe to operate, and to steadily construct new plants. To eliminate people's unease about the future, it will be essential to restore the health of the central government's finances, which are in a critical state, and to maintain a stable social security system. The government has set a target of achieving a surplus in the primary balance in fiscal 2020. To reach this goal, the government should continue to seek ways to spend its money more efficiently, and not rely too much on recent efforts to increase tax revenue. In April 2017, the consumption tax rate will be hiked to 10 percent. This tax is a source of funds for social security. The rate increase must be implemented smoothly, alongside the introduction of a reduced tax rate. Political stability is crucial for dealing with the pile of domestic and international problems facing Japan. A long-term administration that can smoothly communicate with leaders of other nations has major advantages when it comes to enabling Japan to play its role, especially on the international political stage. Abe govt's footing depends on poll This summer's upper house election will portend whether Abe can maintain a stable administration for an even longer period. If the LDP wins a majority in the upper house on its own, it would be the first time in 27 years. However, the LDP's recovery in recent years has been strongly supported by the cooperation of its coalition partner, Komeito, in elections. Even if the LDP emerges victorious in this election, it will not be in a position to be completely optimistic about the future. A major focus of this election will be whether forces positive about revising the Constitution - including the LDP, Komeito, Osaka Ishin no Kai and the Party for Japanese Kokoro - will be able to gain more than two-thirds of the seats. Opinion is widely split over whether the Constitution should be revised. Before getting into a confrontation over the merits or otherwise of revising the top law, precisely what the nation wants from the Constitution needs to be debated in detail. Serious consideration should be given to including an emergency-related article that defines preparations to be made to better cope with major disasters. The planned transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to Henoko, Okinawa Prefecture, has been dragged into the courts as a case between the prefectural and central governments. We think shifting the base from its current location in Ginowan in the prefecture to Henoko is the most realistic option for maintaining the deterrent of U.S. forces stationed in Japan while simultaneously easing Okinawa's burden of hosting U.S. military bases. The central government needs to steadily move ahead with this plan while continuing efforts to win the understanding of Okinawa residents and authorities. Opposition parties and other groups have reacted angrily to the base transfer to Henoko and to last year's passage of security-related bills. It is vital to debate the specifics of where the problems reside and attempt to form a consensus. This is especially so for issues requiring a long-term perspective, such as constitutional revision. During last year's deliberations on the security bills, opposition parties constantly resorted to emotional objections. Using such tactics again would be troublesome. The public demands fruitful policy debates conducted with a sense of urgency. (c) 2015, Yomiuri Shimbun Note: An editing error by The Billings Gazette incorrectly identified Pennsylvania Power and Light. The online copy has been changed with the correct identification. In a Dec. 19 Guest opinion, Colorado attorney Russ Doty asserted that NorthWestern Energy should be doing more to develop wind and solar electricity production and to promote energy efficiency. He suggested Montana should follow the energy path of California. While California has a renewable energy goal of 50 percent by 2030, today NorthWesterns 60 percent carbon-free electric production is already better and less expensive than Californias long-term goal. According to recent information from the Edison Electric Institute, electric rates in Montana are 21 percent below the national average, while California rates are among the highest in the nation. Invested in hydropower In recent years, NorthWestern has invested more than $1 billion in clean energy. These investments mesh very well with our thermal generation, which provide necessary back-up for the unpredictability of wind generation. The purchase of Montana hydroelectric facilities from Pennsylvania Power and Light in late 2014, combined with existing wind generation, created a portfolio dominated by carbon-free sources. We now have a made-in-Montana hydro-based generation system. Hydro is the very best renewable. We disagree with Dotys statement suggesting that wind can easily replace coal in our generation portfolio. NorthWestern Energy owns 30 percent of Colstrip Unit 4, the newest and cleanest of the Colstrip generating units. The electricity dependably produced at Unit 4 provides a little more than 25 percent of the electricity we need to serve our Montana customers. Coal and natural gas provide reliable generation during periods of peak demand, typically the coldest days of winter and warmest days of summer, when the wind often doesnt blow. This Thanksgiving was a great example: The cold was blistering, the wind wasnt blowing, and although we have about the same nameplate capacity of wind and coal on our system, it was our hydro and thermal resources that kept us safe and warm. After our recent purchase of the dams, our greatest need is for generation that can meet the peak-demand needs of our customers. Wind simply doesnt meet those needs. Fair prices for dams We paid about $1,000 per kilowatt less than a recent sale of other dams by Talen Energy (formerly PPL). Most importantly, Montanas dams are now dedicated to serve our Montana customers at prices based on the cost of production. That will benefit our current customers, their children, and their grandchildren. Doty ignores that fact we are responsible for 80 percent of the efficiency programs in place in Montana. We see the value of cost-effective efficiency measures and have offered efficiency programs for over two decades to help our customers save energy. We have worked with others in the region on efficiency efforts, including successful market transformation programs. Unfortunately, Montana is behind other states in policies that support utility efficiency programs. Doty is passionate about LED light bulbs, and we agree. Company officials are working to measure their cost effectiveness and are sharing that information with local government officials interested in street-light conversions and other uses. NorthWestern recognizes the utility industry in Montana and across the United States is changing rapidly. We believe it is critical to take a realistic view of the relevant issues and rely on facts while looking at ways to help shape Montanas energy future. Rick Burt is director of community relations for NorthWestern Energy, a company based in South Dakota. MOSCOW, Idaho Around the turn of the 20th century, as early loggers put their sweat and blood into the harvest of timber and the Great Northern Railroad began winding its way west supported by the timber industry the Somers Sawmill was established along Flathead Lake in Montana. The family-owned mill experienced a windfall from the burgeoning railway, which ordered railroad ties created from logs floated down the Flathead or Swan rivers to the lake that fed its saws. Over the years, thousands of larch and pine logs sank, spending a century in the silt and mud on the lake bottom. Until now. After a battle between the family who owned Somers Sawmill and the State of Montana over which party the logs belonged to, Moscow's Northwest Management Inc. was hired by the victorious DeVoe family to find and recover the logs, which bear the Great Northern brand a circle with an N in it. "The DeVoe family hired us initially to do permitting to recover logs that had sunk in the lake after floating down the Flathead River around the turn of the century," project manager Mark Corrao said. "The family had kept the records so they knew how many logs they essentially paid for and never got." While more than 100 years submerged would be detrimental to many things, not so for timber, which is essentially preserved by the cold lake-bottom water and lack of oxygen. They are also made, some say, more attractive by their stay beneath the waves, where they are slowly stained shades of black, green, violet, peach, charcoal and blue by the silt and minerals surrounding them. If a rainbow of color isn't enough to make this lost-and-found timber distinctive, the sheer size and age of it must be at least to those who dive for it. "We have one that's 38 inches in diameter, 392 years old with a 1924 stamp on it," Corrao said. "Somewhere in the 1530s it started growing." While the job began with permitting and water sampling, before long Northwest Management was tasked with raising the sunken treasures and doing so in an environmentally friendly manner. The beginning of the process found a great amount of resistance from environmental agencies that were concerned about how the disruption of sediment from the lake bottom would affect fish and other wildlife. "We did all of these tests and found there was no harmful sediments, and the sediment settled quickly," Cancroft said. Also, he said, the logs were not a natural part of Flathead Lake. Log ponds in themselves are known not to be environmentally friendly, as the tannic acid leaching from the logs can raise the water's pH, so carefully extracting the sunken logs can be beneficial for bodies of water, if done correctly. "We do it all by hand," Corrao said, using diving ropes and a pontoon boat. "We literally hand line them to the surface, tie them off on the boat and as you move the boat forward the log swings up under the boat, you put a chain under it to hold it there and float it over to a (submerged) flatbed trailer at the boat ramp." After the logs sink onto the flatbed, they are tied down and transported to a storage facility to dry, a long process. "It takes a good six months or so for them to dry," said Jim Cancroft, who works for Northwest Management on the Flathead River site. And no one would want to be near them until they do. "They have a pungent odor," Cancroft said. Once dry, the logs are transported to a small sawmill as similar to the Somers Mill which burned in 1957 as possible. "We take them to a third-generation owned sawmill that still uses the big 50-inch circular saw," Corrao said. The results are formed into furniture, flooring, wall hangings and commemorative wooden boxes that are sold from Nantucket Island to Spokane and beyond. MISSOULA When a grizzly bear killed a hiker in Yellowstone National Park last year, millions of people took it personally. The public response was 100 percent different than two years ago, said Kerry Gunther, Yellowstones bear manager. Twenty-five grizzly bears a year die in Yellowstone Park, but this one had a name. Her name was Blaze, according to the outpouring of outrage on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets that appeared within a day of the Aug. 11 incident. Gunther and other park officials still arent sure it was that particular, often-photographed sow with two cubs (there were four such females with two cubs in the area). But they are sure their decisions and all future debate about managing grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountain West are under a new level of scrutiny. The attack took place on a Thursday. It was reported to rangers at 9:01 a.m. Friday. By noon, a search team had found the hikers body and saw a bear leaving the scene. They spent that afternoon combing the area by air and setting up a culvert trap 9.4 meters away from the bodys location. The bear was caught shortly after midnight, and a news release was issued Saturday morning. It totally blew up on Saturday afternoon, Gunther said. Very quickly, my email and voicemail were overloaded. I was getting letters from all over the world. Our office was getting hate mail and death threats. One person even had her children threatened. We had law enforcement patrolling their houses. Shortly after the controversy got rolling, someone created a petition asking Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk to not kill Blaze, the Yellowstone grizzly sow and her infant cubs. The petition was closed after the announcement that the bear was killed but not before it gathered 143,170 signatures. Just think if everyone who signed that donated $25 for habitat conservation, Gunther said. Bears would be a lot better off. I wish we could find a way to funnel that hatred and passion into conservation. It also overwhelmed the parks media office. Aware that the case was going viral, the investigators tried to publish results of their efforts as soon as they got them. But other commentators kept adding different scenarios that conflicted with what the rangers had on record. There are no good answers to that, said Sandy Snell-Dobert in Yellowstones Office of Strategic Communication. With all the ongoing discussion going about this, youll see us much more trying to be proactive and trying to get ahead of things. But just trying to monitor everything thats out there is more than a full-time job. One meme stated that a large male grizzly had fed on the hikers body, so the female was falsely accused and killed. Yet another described the final moments of the incident, claiming the hiker ran from the bear and at one point punched it in the nose. But the evidence from the scene showed no adult male paw prints in the area, only female bear bite marks on the hikers body, and only the suspect females DNA on the hikers wounds. Those DNA samples were flown out of the park to a lab in Bozeman, with results delivered 36 hours later. DNA test confirms captured grizzly killed hiker; bear euthanized Thursday A grizzly bear was killed Thursday after DNA tests showed it killed a hiker in Yellowstone N The hiker had defensive wounds on his arms and face, indicating he tried to protect himself as the bear attacked. There were no tracks indicating he ran from the initial encounter. There was no GoPro or dash-cam footage to record the battle. That didnt stop scenarios accusing the hiker of jogging through bear country in what Gunther called an attempt to cast blame on the hiker instead of the bear. But the jogging idea failed to account for the hikers leather boots, canvas pants, button-down shirt and previously sprained ankle. Others pounced on the facts that the hiker was traveling alone and wasnt carrying bear spray. Gunther agreed that traveling in groups and with bear spray have been shown to deter bear attacks. But he also noted that trail-use surveys have found 60 percent of Yellowstone hikers travel in groups of three or less and just 14 percent carry bear spray. He wasnt following recommendations, Gunther said. But he wasnt doing anything unusual either. The story added new levels. Some commenters posted that Blaze was related to Lightning, another socially popular bear that was killed after attacking a hiker in 2011. Yellowstone officials reported the DNA test showed no family link between last summers dead bear and Lightning, but that didnt stop the discussion. Instead, it rekindled suppositions that Lightning was killed after ripping open an unattended backpack looking for food. For the record, the hiker in that case was using his pack to fend off the bears attack and it got torn open in the clash. Commenters moved on to the National Park Services motivations. Some claimed it was fear of litigation from the hikers family that prompted the kill order for the bear. We wanted to make sure this bear couldnt do this again to another hiker, Gunther said. Our guidelines state that removal from the population is called for when serious injury or loss of life is involved. States divvy up Yellowstone-area grizzly hunt Wildlife officials have divvied up how many grizzly bears can be killed by hunters in the Ye Guidelines for bear management may get a lot more complicated next year when the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee releases a new proposal for removing federal Endangered Species Act protection from grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. More than 700 grizzlies live there now, and IGBC biologists argue thats about the carrying capacity for the area. In 2015, 55 grizzly bears died and four were removed in the GYE. Thats a record high year for bear losses in the GYE, beating the previous high of 56 in 2012. In 2014, a year with good bear food availability, 28 grizzlies died or were removed. Wildlife managers killed 24 bears after conflicts with people or livestock in 2015. Four were hit by vehicles, and eight were killed by hunters. And 19 incidents remain under investigation. The four removals were orphaned cubs sent to zoos, including the two belonging to the bear that killed the hiker in August. They are added to the loss total for the area, bringing it to 59. The delisting proposal isnt public yet, but its already stirred up its own social media debate. Many people are using the Blaze incident as a talking point. A lot of the photographer community is divided whether they should have killed her or not, said Daryl Hunter, an Idaho professional photographer whos reasonably certain hes seen the suspect bear for years. A lot of regular photographers agree with the decision. I do. I lead tours out here, and I tell people well be seeing bears out here. They dont associate us with a food source. But bears are quick learners. Those who are out there often dont want bears that have eaten people out there with us. Hunting grizzlies isnt an easy solution, however. Im one of those people in the middle, Harris said. Im a political conservative and a wildlife photographer. The Endangered Species Act is a double-edged sword. Weve recovered the grizzlies pretty well, and I think its OK to delist it and have a hunting season. But photographing and watching bears is a huge business in Grand Teton and Cody and Gardiner. The bears we see are an economic resource. (The delisting plan) has a 20-mile section between Grand Teton and Yellowstone that would be open for hunting. When hunting opens, thats going to eliminate all the bears that are not afraid of us. Frequently seen bears like Blaze, 399, Scarface and other roadside attractions have almost become a pseudo-subspecies from grizzlies that live in more remote wilderness, according to biologists. They develop a different social structure, tolerating one another in closer quarters instead of getting into deadly territorial battles. They also tolerate human activity, learning to avoid the temptation of people food that wilder bears investigate. Living along road corridors adds to their notoriety. Having hung out in some of those Jackson Hole bear jams, its not my cup of tea, but I found the whole phenomenon fascinating, said Louisa Willcox of the Natural Resources Defense Council, a frequent critic of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. It is really meaningful for people. Its a way of understanding the ecosystem, the world in a really different way. And then they write about it on Facebook. Willcox said the reaction to incidents like the killing of Cecil the Lion in Namibia last summer was an example of the kind of energy social media can spin up. A lot of other lions were killed around the park, but that lion had a name and a fan club, Willcox said. It had an emotional resonance with people. I think these bears are part of bigger phenomenon going around the country and the world, elevating the rights of animals. They have families and feelings just like we do. Bringing these other voices to the debate could change the way public wildlife agencies function, Willcox said. Right now, thats what they do they hunt things, Willcox said. Yes, they also promote coexistence with grizzly bears and wolves, but theyre based around killing things. Thats their financial framework. But in other parts of the country, theres been great deal of reform of culture and financial makeup of state game agencies. People are saying 'whoa animals have a right to be treated differently.' Isnt the hope in having more diverse voices that theres some promise of more representative democracy? Unfortunately, theres no voting booth in the Twitterverse. I guess what this shows is theres a lot of passion out there for bears, bear manager Gunther said. But all that passion didnt do anything for bear conservation or for Blaze. LANDER, Wyo. Like a holiday reveler headed for the gym after a season of feasting, the energy industry enters 2016 on the heavy side. Surpluses of coal, oil and natural gas continue to weigh down prices and threaten companies' balance sheets. Each sector needs to work off the excess fat. Their success in doing so will go a long way in determining whether energy markets remain in a slump or begin to rebound in 2016. But in each case involuntary supply cutbacks read bankruptcies may be required to bring coal, oil and natural gas inventories back into balance with demand. Coal faces perhaps the toughest road. The industry continues to face difficult market conditions, and that is before taking into account the regulatory challenges confronting the sector. Utilities have continued to build up coal inventories, even as they shift toward natural-gas-fired generation. The result is lower coal demand at a time when utilities already have more of the fuel than they need. Analysts typically judge coal stockpiles by the number of days it would take a power plant to burn off its reserves. By that standard, burn rates are near a five-year high. American utilities using the type of subbituminous coal mined in Wyoming's Powder River Basin had, on average, 80 days worth of reserves in October, the last month for which data is available, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But working off those reserves will be more difficult when utilities have a growing taste for cheap natural gas, which ended 2015 near 16-year lows. Jim Thompson, a coal analyst at the consulting firm IHS Energy, reckons miners need to cut 100 million tons to 200 million tons of production in 2016 to bring supply back in line with demand. "Nothing looks good for 2016," he said. "Whats it's going to take is time. Thats the big problem for coal producers. Time is not their friend." Arch Coal, the country's second-largest coal miner by volume, is a case in point. The St. Louis-based company invoked a 30-day grace period on a $90 million interest payment in December in a bid to stave off bankruptcy. Arch's creditors have thus far been reluctant to agree to a deal that would relieve some of the miner's financial stress. If there is to be positive news for the coal sector in 2016, it is likely to come from the Powder River Basin. Production cutbacks are most likely in Appalachia, where companies are closing and idling mines, and to a lesser extent in the Illinois Basin. Low production costs make Wyoming mines unlikely candidates for closure, and they may even rebound slightly with a modest increase in natural gas prices. But whether natural gas prices begin to strengthen in 2016 remains an open question. Some analysts have pointed to the wave of coal plant retirements and increasing natural gas burn as evidence of growing demand for the fuel. Yet American natural gas production and inventories are near record highs, despite consistently low prices throughout much of 2015. U.S. production was nearing 80 billion cubic feet per day in September. Inventories, meanwhile, are near all-time highs. The 3.8 billion cubic feet of gas in storage the week of Dec. 11 was 9 percent above the five-year average, according to EIA figures. While prices edged up this week as temperatures in the east dropped, it will take a colder than normal winter to work-off the excess supply, said James Williams, president of WTRG Economics. Oil, meanwhile, finds itself in a similar predicament. U.S. crude output was almost 9.2 million barrels a day for the week of Dec. 18. That was nearly identical to production levels recorded during the same period last year, and came despite a 64 percent year-over-year drop in the U.S. rig count. High U.S. crude production owes itself in large part to the efficiency measures of American oil companies, who have slashed production costs in response to low prices. Effectively U.S. firms pumped more oil at a lower cost in 2015. The result is a global surplus of crude that averaged 1.7 million barrels per day in 2015. And while U.S. production cutbacks are likely in 2016, international output is likely to remain high. Saudi Arabia reaffirmed this week that it has no intention of curtailing its production. Iran is expected to bring 500,000 barrels per day of additional crude onto the market once economic sanctions are lifted. And countries like Russia, Brazil and Norway, all larger producers outside the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, have shown little sign of pumping less. Analysts, meanwhile, are more skeptical of U.S. supply cutbacks after a year that saw few wells shut-in. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas estimates a surplus of 600,000 barrels per day will linger throughout much of 2016. "Almost by default people are looking to demand instead to mop up the surplus barrels," said Geoffrey Craig, who covers the industry at Platts, a trade publication. Many observers will be watching China, he noted, which powered much of the recent growth in crude demand, but saw its economy falter in 2015. Analysts are increasingly predicting a new era in China's economic growth, one where the country grows at slower rates and relies less on commodity-heavy industries like manufacturing, Craig said. But with much uncertainty surrounding the prospects for global economic growth in 2016, a good deal of focus remains on American producers. U.S. producers were reluctant to curtail production in 2015 for fear of damaging their cash flow. A period of $20 crude would prompt a wave of bankruptcies and force production cutbacks, helping to right the market, said Williams, the WTRG president. "No one is going to cut voluntarily," he said. "No one is going to stop a producing well, and thats your problem." In that respect, the energy industry is very much like the average holiday reveler. They know they need to go the gym, but they just can't force themselves to do it. LANSING (AP) Kevin Cotter has four chief priorities as he prepares to lead a more unified Republican caucus into his second and final year as House speaker, and an overhaul and bailout of Detroits financially and academically failed school district is not among them. Auto insurance changes, an update to energy laws, criminal justice spending and the broader state budget will top the agenda, at least for now. He said he is greatly concerned with a key component of GOP Gov. Rick Snyders education plan creating a commission of gubernatorial and mayoral appointees to hire a manager who could close or reconfigure poor-performing Detroit public schools, regardless of whether they are traditional ones, independent charters or those overseen by a turnaround entity. Charter schools that are performing well, I dont see why they would need to be tangled up in that mess, Cotter told The Associated Press in a recent interview. I would be happy to look at anything. If there are charters that are not performing well, if we were to look at some accountability measures, certainly. But I think charters offer a tremendous opportunity to families to choose to attend. Snyder outlined his Detroit Public Schools proposals in March and October, but no legislation was introduced before lawmakers adjourned for the year. Snyder has said the most urgent issue is providing $715 million in state funds over a decade to pay off the districts debt and spin off a new district a tough sell for legislators a year after they helped bail out the bankrupt city but he also wants to hold schools accountable for students poor learning. That process could get very political. I dont want to suggest for a moment that I have concerns about the current mayor. I dont know who will follow the current mayor someday, Cotter said. He enters 2016 months after a turbulent period in which the House expelled one Republican and forced the resignation of another over their extramarital affair and a strange attempt to make it less believable if it was exposed, apparently by the husband of one of the legislators. Two former legislative aides to ex-Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat recently sued the House, alleging they were wrongfully fired and publicly humiliated after reporting the affair and other misconduct to Cotters office. He said true evidence did not exist until the scandal broke in August when The Detroit News published secret audio recorded by one of the staffers. My office handled this correctly based on the information known at the time, said Cotter, who is in his third and last House term. He said the 61-member GOP caucus is much more effective than when it had 63 representatives, saying that the group is tighter and more willing to work together. Republican candidates are favored to fill the two vacant seats in March special elections. In the fall session, House Republicans mustered enough votes to approve a road-funding plan, including increased fuel tax and vehicle registration fees, without Democrats support a huge accomplishment in Cotters words. The majority also voted mostly along party lines for a bill to hold back third-graders lagging behind on state reading tests and most recently sent Snyder legislation to eliminate the straight-ticket option from ballots. The Houses most immediate issue when it returns in January may be energy bills, which have not cleared either chamber despite pressure from major utilities to act in 2015. School districts and some big companies are fighting the legislation they fear would further limit competition in a partially deregulated power system. State law guarantees DTE Electric, Consumers Energy and smaller utilities 90 percent of electricity sales in their regions. Alternate suppliers can sell the remaining 10 percent. Will we ultimately maintain 90-10 as it exists today? How will schools be affected, their ability to participate in that? Id say thats the single largest piece of the debate, Cotter said. He said he is focused on getting it done right rather than moving too quickly. In his initial attempt to represent the 99th State House District, Mount Pleasants Bryan Mielke ran a competitive race against a tough opponent. The Democrat came up 671 votes short of House Speaker Kevin Cotter in 2014. Cotter is term limited and cant seek re-election in 2016. In announcing his plans to seek the 99th seat this year, Mielke said he is optimistic about his chances of being elected to represent Edenville, Geneva, Greendale, Hope, Ingersoll, Jasper, Mills, Mount Haley, Porter and Warren townships in Midland County along with Isabella County. I have credibility because we came so close in 2014, people take me seriously now, he said. The energy Im getting from so many is astounding. I have raised more money this first month than I did in the first six months last time. So far, a Republican challenger has not stepped forward to face Mielke in the general election of November 2016. We have got momentum and we are not going to let it go, he said recently as he spoke to a roomful of supporters during the Democratic Holiday Brunch at Grand Traverse Pie Company. Mielke, who owns DCG, Inc., a software development company, won Isabella County in 2014 by 56 votes, but Cotter earned enough votes from GOP-heavy Midland County for the win. A Michigan native, Mielke holds two degrees from Central Michigan University: a bachelor of science in mathematics and computer science along with a masters of science. His wife of 30 years, Debra, is employed by Mount Pleasant Public Schools as an at-risk counselor. He sees education as his main focus along with roads, tax fairness and job creation. Education is my number one issue, Mielke said. (Debra and I) are where we are in life because of the opportunities we were given and the access we had to public education. Citing a lack of funding in the classroom, Mielke would take a serious look at for-profit schools. He said 20 percent of all students in the country attend a for-profit school. Michigan right now is ranked 42nd in education quality, he said of a report by Education Week. School reform in Michigan is not about education, its about for-profit and its time to stop attacking our teachers and villainizing them. It is time to stand up and say, education is about education, not money. Mielke also took issue with the recently passed road package, calling it gross negligence. They raised $400 million and said, here is another $800 million we are going to put in the pot, but we dont know where it is coming from. This is the part I feel is very negligent. If it is coming out of the general fund, that is fine, but identify where it is coming from, he said. Mielkes concern is that the $800 million will end up coming from dollars previously earmarked for local communities, education and social services. It is evident we dont have leadership in Lansing. Five years Republicans had entire control of our government and couldnt come up with a solution for the road problem, he said. When I am elected, I promise to work to get a comprehensive road package. Ill have to work across the aisle to do that. Mielkes foray into politics began with service through his church but his political involvement actually started during the 2008 presidential campaign. Seven years ago, I had no interest in politics or government. I was busy raising a family and running a small business, Mielke said. Then along came Sen. Barack Obama. He is so inspiring. So, I went out and knocked on doors for him. After knocking on doors, Mielke was appointed to the Union Township Planning Commission, earned election as a trustee to the township board and ran for the 99th District. I loved seeing the decisions made in the planning commission happen overnight in the community, he said. Union Township is the fastest growing community in Michigan. The challenge was management of growth. For more information on Mielkes campaign, visit bryanmielke.com. The early bird discount for the 2016 Great Lakes Crop Summit ends Friday. This years event takes place Jan. 27-28 at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant. GLCS is an educational and social event for Michigan corn, soybean and wheat growers. Last year, more than 700 people attended the educational sessions, trade show and networking opportunities and this years event is on track to be even bigger. In 2010, the Midland Center for the Arts faced many challenges. The economic downturn had hit the organizations funding and endowments hard. The aging building was in need of improvements. Plus, longtime leader Bill Henningar died unexpectedly. I was on the board of directors at the center during those tough times so I knew what we were dealing with, said Mike Hayes. We just werent finding the kind of person who we needed then .. what we needed was someone who understood the bigger picture. That person ended up being Hayes. Now, after guiding the center for five years, he is stepping down as president and CEO of the MCFTA. Terri Trotter will take over. When Hayes was hired in 2010, he was charged with looking at MCFTA operations from a business and financial standpoint. Cuts were needed and projects were overdue. It has a wonderful 40-year history, he said. I wanted to look at the things I could do to set the center up for another 40 years. Hayes came to the position without a background in the arts. He graduated from Central Michigan University and worked as a probation officer before he was Midland County clerk. He served in the Michigan legislature and then joined The Dow Chemical Co. working in business and government relations, before retiring as a vice president in that area. As for the arts, Hayes refers to himself as a terrific audience member. Mike stepped in and I think in every aspect has provided extraordinary leadership, said Bill Collins, board chair. He has reorganized our staff. He has mentored our employees to get the best use of their talents, hes maintained wonderful relationships in our community with our patrons and funders. He kept the focus on quality programming for the center. It was Hayes business background that drew the interest of the MCFTA board of directors when searching for a new leader. The Center for the Arts is an enormous organization; I dont think theres anything like it in the country, said Stephen P. Carras, Midland County Circuit Court judge and co-chair of the centers board. The governance of a body like that is challenging. Major projects included fixing the roof along with updating the heating and air conditioning systems. He left us very well situated for the future in terms of structure, Carras said. Another project more noticeable to visitors and guests are the upgrades to the Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art on both the top level and in the Hall of Ideas. Other upgrades included revamped green rooms, a new auditorium stage floor and new carpet in the auditorium designed to match the original carpeting. The center also opened the Saints and Sinners Lounge recently, a full-service bar which gives visitors a place to relax before or after shows. Im very proud of that as a feature our ticket buyers can enjoy, he said. Another issue was the Doan History Center. Financial concerns kept the building closed to the public a good portion of the year. Here you sit with a beautiful building, Hayes said, and its closed half the year. MCFTA was able to strike a deal with Northwood University to keep the Doan History Center open year-round, providing more opportunities to the public. The center also worked to expand programming over the past five years. MATRIX:MIDLAND previously hosted events the first part of summer with a few additional events during the year. Now, MATRIX hosts more events year-round. Plus, educational programs expanded. The center acquired the Childrens School of Music, providing instruction to students up to the fourth grade. Summer programs are growing. Our summer camp program the past three years has set records we were up to 1,000 kids last summer, he said. Thats 1,000 kids that get exposed to the arts and history. Hayes sees those students as the future of the center, both as volunteers and patrons. He is now at a place where he can retire comfortably from the center. He will be reopening his consulting business, Main Street Consulting, but is looking forward to not having to manage a budget. I feel like I accomplished a lot of what I wanted to do so I felt I could step down otherwise Id still be there, he said. The endowment is back up, the donor base is strong and financial discipline is in place. Hayes is still active on a few state commissions and plans to stay in Midland and support the center as a patron because, he said, the MCFTA is a unique, valuable asset for a community the size of Midland. Its like any gem, you have to polish it and keep it shiny, he said. BURNS, Ore. (AP) People in this rural eastern Oregon town are used to worrying about friction between the federal government and locals, but the armed takeover of a nearby national wildlife refuge is raising concerns to a new high. Keith Landon, a longtime resident of Burns and employee at the Reid Country Store, said he knows local law enforcement officials who fear their kids will be targeted by angry militia members. The mother of one of his kids is now involved with an officer, Landon said, and they decided to send their children to another town after they were allegedly threatened by an angry protester. "I'm hoping most of it's just muscle, trying to push," Landon said. "But it's a scary thing." Armed protesters, who police say are coming from outside the area, took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge south of Burns on Saturday after participating in a peaceful rally over the prison sentences of local ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond. The Hammonds were convicted of arson three years ago for fires that burned on federal land in 2001 and 2006. Though they served their original sentences for the conviction Dwight serving three months, Steven serving one year an appellate judge ruled in October that the terms were too short under federal minimum sentencing laws. Both men were ordered back to prison for four years each. They have said they plan to turn themselves in Monday. The decision to send the man back to prison generated controversy and is part of a decades-long dispute between some Westerners and the federal government over the use of public lands. Brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy are among those occupying the refuge. Their father, Cliven Bundy, was involved in a 2014 standoff with the government over grazing rights in Nevada. Ryan Bundy told The Associated Press on Sunday he hopes to turn the land over to local authorities so people can use it free of federal oversight. He said he hopes the takeover of the property will prompt others to take action across the country to seize local control of federally managed land. Ammon Bundy has previously called on members of militia groups to take a stand with those at the refuge. On Sunday afternoon, several pickup trucks blocked the entrance to the refuge and armed men wearing camouflage and winter gear used radios to alert those at the refuge buildings when reporters were allowed onto the property. A small flock of pheasants wandered across the refuge driveway, scattering as men driving utility vehicles traversed the property. Ryan Bundy declined to say how many people were at the site. "The end goal here is that we are here to restore the rights to the people here so that they can use the land and resources. All of them," Bundy said. That means ranchers can graze their cattle on the land, miners can use their mineral rights, loggers can cut trees and hunters and fishers can recreate, he said. He said they planned on staying at the refuge as long as it takes. If the situation turns violent, Bundy contends it will be because of the federal government's actions. "I mean, we're here to restore order, we're here to restore rights and that can go peacefully and easily," Bundy said. Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward said in a statement Sunday that the group of armed protesters came to town under false pretenses. "These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers, when in reality these men had alternative motives to attempt to over throw the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States," Ward said. The sheriff says he is working with local and federal authorities to keep the citizens in his county safe and to resolve the situation as quickly and peacefully as possible. At a restaurant near the refuge Sunday, a local man eating supper said he understood the sentiment but didn't necessarily support the methods of the group. He wouldn't give his name because he said he feared being caught between the federal government and the militia. Landon, who was a logger until the federal government declared the spotted owl a protected species in the 1980s, damaging the local logging industry, said he also sympathizes with the frustrations expressed by the Bundys. "The spotted owl started the downfall of our community, then (President) Clinton made the Steens Mountains a wilderness area or whatever. Five generations of ranchers that had been on the Steens, kicked them off. And then management of the wildfires, it totally changed the region," Landon said. "It's hard to discredit what they're trying to do out there. But I don't want anybody hurt." He said on the surface, it doesn't look like much has changed in Burns, a high desert town of about 2,700 people. Most of the hotels in the area are booked full, and he's noticed that law enforcement officers are now doing their patrols in pairs instead of singly. But the biggest difference since the takeover is the undercurrent of worry, he said. "It's weird I woke up this morning expecting the town to be crawling with this and that agency. But you don't see any of it. They're keeping a low presence," Landon said. Landon was happy the protesters seized land outside of Burns. "I'm glad they took the refuge because it's 30 miles away. I mean, they could have took the courthouse here in town." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BURNS, Ore. (AP) The remote high desert of eastern Oregon became the latest flashpoint for anti-government sentiment as armed protesters occupied a national wildlife refuge to object to a prison sentence for local ranchers for burning federal land. Ammon Bundy the son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a 2014 standoff with the government over grazing rights is among the people at the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. It was unclear exactly how many people were taking part in the protests. Ammon Bundy posted a video on his Facebook page asking for militia members to come help him. He said "this is not a time to stand down. It's a time to stand up and come to Harney County," where Burns is located. Bundy and other militia members came to Burns last month, a small town about 280 miles southeast of Portland, Oregon. They were upset over the looming prison sentences for local ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond. They went to the wildlife refuge Saturday evening following a peaceful rally in Burns to support the ranchers. Dwight Hammond, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46, said they lit the fires on federal land in 2001 and 2006 to reduce the growth of invasive plants and protect their property from wildfires. The two were convicted of the arsons three years ago and served time the father three months, the son one year. But a federal judge ruled in October that their terms were too short under U.S. minimum sentencing law and ordered them back to prison for about four years each. The decision generated controversy and is part of a decades-long dispute between some Westerners and the federal government over the use of public lands. The issue traces back to the 1970s and the "Sagebrush Rebellion," a move by Western states like Nevada to increase local control over federal land. Critics of the push for more local control have said the federal government should administer the public lands for the widest possible uses, including environmental and recreation. In an interview with reporters late Saturday night posted on Facebook, Bundy said he and others are occupying a building at the refuge because "the people have been abused long enough." "I feel we are in a situation where if we do not do something, if we do not take a hard stand, we'll be in a position where we'll be no longer able to do so," he said. Bundy said the group planned to stay at the refuge indefinitely. On Sunday, supplies were seen being delivered to the refuge area, which is remote even by rural Oregon standards. Dwight Hammond has said he and his son plan to peacefully report to prison Monday as ordered by the judge. Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward told people to stay away from the building as authorities work to defuse the situation. "A collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution," Ward said in a statement. Beth Anne Steele, an FBI spokeswoman in Portland, said Saturday that the agency was aware of the situation at the national wildlife refuge. She made no further comment. Not all local residents have welcomed the outside groups, fearing for the potential of violence. A peaceful rally Saturday in support of the Hammonds featured speeches, flags and marching. As marchers reached the courthouse, they tossed hundreds of pennies at the locked door. Their message: Civilians were buying back their government. After the march passed, two girls swooped in to scavenge the pennies. A few blocks away, Hammond and his wife, Susan, greeted marchers, who planted flower bouquets in the snow. They sang some songs, Hammond said a few words, and the protesters marched back to their cars. CHEYENNE, Wyo. An Australian man who insisted on representing himself at trial won't get his bank robbery conviction overturned by claiming he didn't have an adequate defense, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson of Cheyenne dismissed a legal challenge Dec. 30 filed by Corey Donaldson that sought to set aside his conviction and 70-month prison sentence. Donaldson was convicted of taking more than $140,000 from a U.S. Bank in Jackson on New Year's Eve 2012. According to trial testimony, Donaldson took the money after telling the bank manager that the building had been rigged with explosives. Law enforcement officers arrested Donaldson a few weeks later while he was staying at an upscale hotel in Utah. Officers testified they recovered more than $30,000, including $11,000 stuffed into envelopes addressed to Donaldson's relatives. Donaldson represented himself at trial, telling the jury that he was a modern-day Robin Hood and had used much of the money to help the homeless. "Even if the death penalty were available to you, I would still have done what I did to alleviate human suffering," Donaldson told the jury. In sentencing Donaldson in mid-2013, Johnson said the bank robbery was "fueled by deceit." He cited a pre-sentencing report that stated Donaldson had written to publishers to drum up interest in a book about the crime. From a federal prison in North Carolina, Donaldson has keep up a steady stream of court filings, including repeated efforts to get a federal appeals court in Denver to order Johnson to act on his case faster or overturn his conviction altogether. In his Dec. 30 order, Johnson noted the courts have ruled that people who insist on representing themselves can't argue later that they received ineffective assistance of counsel. Jim Barrett, a veteran assistant federal public defender, served as standby counsel for Donaldson at trial. Barrett's office said Monday he was unavailable for comment. In an interview last month, Barrett said, Donaldson "has a different point of view of his place in life, his treatment by life and society in general." 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GCMS High School is one of three schools in the United States selected this year for Project Ignition. GCMS has participated in the program, in which young people educate other teens about using seat belts, since 2005. In its first year of participation, the school won the Best of the Best National Champion award. As a Project Ignition National Leader School, GCMS has collaborated with other high schools in the past, including Fieldcrest. This year, GCMS Project Ignition was selected to mentor Clifton Centrals SADD program. GCMS High School Project Ignition adviser Judy Weber-Jones said she and the GCMS students are excited about being chosen to assist a nearby school. I have always wanted to get Clifton Central and their adviser, Eva McGill, involved in Project Ignition. They have applied but were never selected, Weber-Jones said. Now we finally get to share the great experience with them." The two groups recently worked together to design T-shirts to raise awareness. Students at both schools are comparing the seat belt usage surveys they took at the beginning of the project and are discussing activities that will improve seat belt usage at both schools. In March, Clifton Central SADD leaders will join GCMS Project Ignition leaders in Minneapolis to share their experiences. "These opportunities do not come along every day. When they do, we have to take hold of them, McGill said. It's great that our students get a chance to work with students from another school and leave the cornfields to see a different part of our country and spread an important message at the same time." Project Ignition is sponsored by the National Youth Leadership Council and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. GCMS will receive $1,500 from NLYC to start the project and an additional $500 at the midpoint of the project. GCMS Project Ignition was also awarded $5,000 to attend the NSLC in Minnesota. NORMAL Work on a new fire station that will serve as Normal Fire Department headquarters is expected to begin next year. The City Council on Monday approved a contract with BLDD Architects of Bloomington to design the station that will replace the department's No. 2 Station at 604 N. Adelaide St. but be built at a different location. The town is in talks with Illinois State University about a possible land swap; ISU would get the Adelaide Street site and Normal would get another university-owned property for the new station. "They earned this job," said City Manager Mark Peterson of the contract with BLDD. "We received 19 proposals; it was a very popular project. We received some outstanding proposals but BLDD rose to the top after rigorous review." The contract is for $230,000 and is based on a $7 million facility. Deputy City Manager Pamela Reece said the town staff believes the project will be closer to $5.5 million or $6 million but because a site hasn't been finalized, it was decided to base it on $7 million. The site is expected to be determined in September, she said. In the meantime, BLDD will work with fire department officials to determine what is needed at the new facility. Because it will be an urban-type location on likely less than 2 acres, the building will have to go vertical rather than horizontal. Fire Chief Mick Humer said one of the biggest needs is space for apparatus that has gotten bigger through the years. The department also has more types of equipment. Humer said the new station will have a lot of data capabilities allowing for such things as teleconferencing between the department's three stations. That means training could take place without crews having to leave their station. That, Humer said, will help with response times if a call came in during training. The department's response times, equipment and training, and the town's water system were among items recently considered by the Insurance Services Office, which determines fire service ratings. Peterson said the results, which came Monday, show the town has retained it's Class 2 rating. A Class 1 rating is the highest. ISO rates 49,010 communities, he said. Sixty earned a Class 1 rating; 750, a Class 2 rating. "We're in the top 860 communities out of nearly 50,000," he said. "That's a pretty tremendous accomplishment." The ratings are a factor in insurance rates particularly for commercial businesses. The better the rating, the lower the premium. NORMAL The Normal City Council will kick off 2016 with new details on one of its biggest projects of the new year. "The design team is prepared to present station design details to council and is seeking council authorization to move forward," according to town documents. The council also will consider approving an increase in the project's cost from $7 million to $7.96 million. "The (increase) reflects additional time spent by the BLDD team on schematic design and (review of) possible design alternatives, including the addition of a basement and reducing the building footprint by increasing the floors in the office and living areas," according to documents. Staff expects to take bids for the project in April, approve a construction contract in May and see construction begin in June. "My guess is something like this is probably eight to 10 months (of construction), so we're probably looking at early 2017 for occupancy," said City Manager Mark Peterson. Normal acquired the South Main Street site from Illinois State University in exchange for the site of its current No. 2 fire station at 604 N. Adelaide St. and other land. Peterson described the Adelaide Street site as an "old station that is functionally obsolete and physically obsolete." The town also plans to move its other two stations the current fire department headquarters at 1300 E. College Ave. and station No. 3 at 1200 E. Raab Road to help improve fire call response times across the community. Peterson said the College Avenue station could be replaced in 2021, and the remaining station in 2026. "We've started identifying potential sites on which we would construct a new station on the east side of town (to replace the current headquarters)," he said. DECATUR When Jennifer Dahn answered the call to help the recovery effort at a tornado disaster area in Washington in November 2013, she had no idea she was about to get a vision that would result in smiles and encouragement for thousands of people across Central Illinois. During her volunteer work, she was deeply moved as she witnessed how therapy/comfort dogs visiting with tornado victims could elevate some of the lowest of spirits. In those moments, the inspiration for PawPrint Ministries was born. Dahn returned to Decatur, ignited with a passion to start a faith-based comfort dog ministry that would bless her hometown and expand outward. Just five months later, in April 2014, she had turned her faith into fruition, founding PawPrint Ministries with her husband, Mike. Since then, Jennifer and her team of dog handlers have visited people of diverse demographics, from terminal cancer patients to disaster victims, with the intent of touching lives through the empathy and compassion of their registered therapy dogs. When my dog comes into that psych ward, he can do things for those patients that no medication can do, Dahn asserted. On more than one occasion, nurses have been surprised to witness patients, who have been unresponsive for long periods of time, suddenly talk or move after a sight or touch of a PawPrint golden retriever. The ministry has earned a growing following and often sees fans at nursing homes and assisted living facilities waiting at the entrance, eagerly anticipating the monthly arrival. When my dog approaches a situation, he doesnt judge, he doesnt speak, he just comes in with compassion, and thats so often what they need. My dog is a bridge that allows that person to come and sit next to me, explained Dahn about the abilities of her dogs. The group also focuses on outreach for people in non-life-threatening situations, such as teaching Girl Scouts about serving the community and giving preschoolers a fun break with the dogs. One of the newest manifestations of their mission is Dog Church for people with special needs at Macon Resources Inc. They offer a brief monthly service of singing, a message and prayers, along with interactions before and after with the dogs. The meeting has quickly become popular since its October inception. More than faith is growing at the ministry. From September 2014 to today they have expanded from one registered therapy dog to six, with some having specialized focuses such as wounded warriors, veterans and sexual assault victims. The handlers have found a deeper connection with their dogs over the course of a year or more. Theyve worked together through challenging and inspiring visits, while building an intuitive relationship through regular training. At first he was just one of the dogs in PawPrint Ministries, but he now has come into my heart and my husbands heart and he sleeps on our bed, vice president and dog handler Judy Koshinski said with a laugh about her comfort dog, Eli. Jennifer Dahn goes almost everywhere with her dog, Payton, even church. She trains with him twice a week, working on continuing skills. He knows when Im anxious when Im excited. He knows how to keep me calm. I think we work very well together as a team, she said. The group has experienced a growing need for its comfort dog services. The organization is looking for more handlers and plans to train additional teams to keep up with the demand. They see the potential for growth nationally, with one dog in Benson, Minn., already added to the Decatur-based ministry. Dahn said that the joy and smiles she has witnessed over the past year and a half of working with comfort dogs has given her a feeling that is indescribable. However, when asked about her outlook for the future of PawPrint Ministries, Dahns words were exact: The skys the limit. There is an outbreak of Norovirus or stomach flu in California. It is confirmed by California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that there are 32 outbreaks of Norovirus in the state since Oct. 1, 2015. Doctor Karen Smith, director of the California Department of Public Health appeals to the people to observe safety measures to prevent the virus from spreading, the Insight Ticker reported. "One of the most important things you can do to avoid norovirus and other illnesses this holiday season is to wash your hands frequently with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds," she said." This is especially important after using the bathroom, changing the diapers, and before preparing or eating food. Hand sanitizers are not effective against Norovirus." Defining Norovirus, it is a group of viruses that cause infection of the large intestine lining in the stomach, according to Webmd.com. It is also called food poisoning. This virus is the main cause of gastroenteritis in the United States. People, who eat drink liquids and eat foods that are tainted, consume raw vegetables, fruits and oysters might be infected with Norovirus. If you also touch objects that are unsanitary with the virus then you will also get infected by it. Meanwhile, there is an outburst of Norovirus in Minnesota too. "Every few years, a strain of norovirus emerges and causes many illnesses. We don't know yet if this new strain will lead to an increase in the number of outbreaks reported, but it could," Amy Saupe of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDC) said. "If we're meticulous about washing our hands and handling food properly, one may be able to limit the impact." ABC News reported that in Boston, about 136 patrons became infected with Norovirus in Chipotle restaurant. The outbreak started from the restaurant's sick employee. It was closed on Dec. 7, 2015, and reopened after a few days. With the above reports, precautions must be observed to prevent the virus from spreading. These include washing hands regularly, maintain good hygiene, and avoiding foods and liquids that are contaminated with the virus. Google is facing trouble in the United States. A privacy non-profit organization has filed a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission that accuses the tech behemoth of spying on children in the U.S. The complaint particularly mentions Chromebooks, a line of cheap laptops running Google-made software, that is being used by more than half of K-12 students across the U.S. Around the world, The Washington Post reported, that 50 million children and teachers are using programs from the Mountain View company. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Chromebooks has a 'Sync' feature that is tracking and collecting information including the websites the student visits, links clicked, YouTube videos watched, terms typed on the search engine, and even passwords saved using Google Chrome Browser. The non-profit organization alleges that the search engine company is using this information by creating profiles and pushing 'targeted ads' not strictly about education to students. Moreover, the privacy watchdog claimed that the multi-billion-dollar company has violated the Student Privacy Pledge which Google signed a promise to not collect or share student records except when authorized for educational purposes. Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc., and 200 other companies signed the pledge to protect children against online espionage. "Despite publicly promising not to, Google mines students' browsing data and other information, and uses it for the company's own purposes," said Nate Cardozo, EFF Staff Attorney, on a press release. "Minors should not be tracked or use as guinea pigs, with their data treated as a profit center." Cardozo added that if Google wants to "improve" its services by collecting user data from Google Apps for Education (GAFE), the company must first ask permission from parents. Jonathan Rochelle, the director for GAFE, wrote on Blogspot that the company is "firmly committed" to uphold the privacy and security especially of children's personal information online. That said, Google is confident that none of the programs provided to children is in violation of the Student Privacy Pledge. Rochelle added that educators and administrators can always manually choose which information can be synced in the settings menu or completely disable the feature from Chrome. It's not every day that I receive a mail from a reader who loved my book or otherwise. There are not many readers, and not many readers ... Tucked away in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont sits a brewery many consider the mecca of craft beer. Shaun Hill, the Founder and Head Brewer at Hill Farmstead, has been on top of the beer world ever since he opened his doors to the brewery more than five years ago. Since then, beer lovers from around the country have made the pilgrimage down the dirt roads of Greensboro Bend, Vermont to get a hold of his beers. With the recent expansion of the brewery, adding a tap house for on-site consumption, and a desire to travel more, Shaun has been busier than ever, so we were lucky when he agreed to spend a few minutes with us to talk about Petes Wicked Ale, decreasing production and Civil Disobedience. Paste: Your first home-brew was for a science project when you were 15 and you were the head of a homebrew club in college. Was there a beer or brewery that inspired you to get into brewing? Shaun Hill: I started the homebrew club my senior year in college. There were several influences in those early days. When I was 15 ,things such as Petes Wicked Ale, Boston Beers Cream Stout, Magic Hat #9I still remember the first time that I saw a bottle of #9. Paste: Have any of those recipes/ideas from your home-brewing period made it into the tanks at HF? SH: Nothing from the early period age 15 to 21 was ever worthy of recreation! However, some of the beers that I created later on during my homebrew and early professional career (2003 to 2006) have morphed into the existing beers. Paste: This year you added the new tap room to the brewery. What was the event or moment that made you realize that you had to add the taproom and increase production? Are you planning to make any more additions to the brewery? SH: The tap room is really more of a growler filling station. We had to decide between continuing to fill growlers or to make the shift to packaging beer. For now, the decision was to make the customer onsite experience as enjoyable as possible by shortening the lines for growler fills and to allow onsite consumption of some of the beers. The new tap room will also allow us to release beers for onsite consumption only But there are no more additions as far as I know! Paste: Lately, there has been a consistent flow of kegs out of state to places like NYC and Philly. Do you have any plans for a larger distribution? SH: Absolutely no plans for increased distribution. In fact, we are now beginning to plateau and even decrease our production. Paste: Ive heard that you have been speaking with Dom Perignon chef de cave Richard Geoffroy. How has he influenced your barreling/cellar process? SH: Interestingwhere did you hear this? I met him on a trip through France and a visit to Moet. It is always refreshing to meet someone that is a kindred soul, curious and driven to refinement. There has been no influence on barreling (they dont barrel age or use wood) and much of our conversations at this time have been in relation to bottle conditioning. We are among a very small minority of American brewers that utilize bottle conditioning and have extended aging times of more than a year of bottle conditioning prior to release Paste: For the Civil Disobedience series, each beer is a blend. Is there a process you follow to decide which beers to blend? SH: The process is quite simple, really. Generally, we do not set out to brew a beer for the Civil Disobedience series, but rather find ourselves blending orphan barrels of beers that possess the qualities of unique expression, but are not as singular in their focus as Ann, Art, and Flora Paste How do you know you will achieve what you are looking for? Are there cases where you have to dump blends? SH: We blend on a very small scale, of course, first, before just dumping barrels into each other. Paste: There are several beers like Mimosa and Juicy that have only been brewed once. Which of the beers that you have only brewed once would you re-brew and why? SH: There is actually a new iteration of Juicy that will be released quite soon. Mimosa was a magical happenstance beer, something akin to it will be released again, surely, but it wont be Mimosa. Perhaps I made the mistake of not vintage dating some of these earlier beers, so that they might be referenced in relation to their seasonal/yearly/happen-stance driven creation. Paste: You have brewed a lot of incredible beers over the years. If you had to pick one beer that has been your favorite beer to brew/drink what would it be? SH: Difficult question! My favorite beer to drink (that we make) is Art. Paste: If you could do a collaboration with any brewery in the world, who would it be with, what would you be brewing and why? SH: Im reaching the end of the collaborative process feeling that Ive brewed with most of the folks with whom I had wished to work. What is your favorite non-Hill Farmstead beer to drink right now? SH: Sierra Nevada Celebration. Im also liking the hoppy beers that are being produced by Fat Heads Paste: Ive seen photos of Apple Brandy barrels, Coolships, and rumors of a beer called Clover. What can you tell us about your plans for 2016? SH: Believe it or not, I have not finalized what this plan is! Id like to travel more, brew less, and connect with my creative self in a new way. I am working on different production modelsrearranging our brewery and our processand planning to focus on our onsite experience. Clover will be released. Juicy will be released Paste: If you could change one (or multiple) things about the craft beer world as it is today, what would it be? SH: The illusion that we are all in this together, or that brewers are somehow obligated to openly share information with each other and with home brewers and aspiring future brewersas if the common theme is that we are all bonding together to take down the establishment and to create as many breweries as possible. Im no longer sure what it means to be in this, or what the industry is. I also wish that people would stop using the word saison as a catch-all for any beer that does not fit within a conventional and defined category. A no boil, 100% wheat beer fermented with lactobacillus and double dry hopped is now called a saison. In February, Obama told Re/code that he wanted to start wearing a device while working out and said he was interested in the Apple Watch. The President noted that "I don't have a Fitbit yet, but I work out hard. Word is these Apple Watches might be a good companion for my workouts. So I'm gonna see, I'm gonna test it out. I don't want to give [Apple CEO] Tim Cook too big of a plug here until I've actually seen the product, [but] he tells me it's pretty good." Well I guess the Apple Watch didn't pan out as first hoped for as the President finally went with Fitbit as noted in the photo above from the Jerry Seinfeld show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." As the DailyDot notes, the president isn't allowed to have a smartphone that has a recording device, so that may be one reason why he went with Fitbit over an Apple or Samsung product. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Comments are reviewed daily from 4am to 6pm PST and sporadically over the weekend. Portrait of John Calvin (1509-1564 ) from the 16th century (unknown) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] * * * (9-17-09) * * * This paper deals with John Calvins arguments in Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, 12:23-28 (using the online public domain version). Ive abridged his portions in a few portions for the sake of better flow of dialogue. Anyone wishing to read all his words or see the complete context can consult the online version. Calvins words will be in blue. * * * * * 23. Of the celibacy of priests, in which Papists place the whole force of ecclesiastical discipline. This impious tyranny refuted from Scripture. An objection of the Papists disposed of. In one thing they are more than rigid and inexorablein not permitting priests to marry. It is of no consequence to mention with what impunity whoredom prevails among them, and how, trusting to their vile celibacy, they have become callous to all kinds of iniquity. *** Sure, there was a lot of corruption in that time. But that calls for reform of the thing (the virtue of celibacy), and spiritual revival, not destruction of a practice good in and of itself, and altogether biblical (1 Corinthians 7). *** The prohibition, however, clearly shows how pestiferous all traditions are, since this one has not only deprived the Church of fit and honest pastors, but has introduced a fearful sink of iniquity, and plunged many souls into the gulf of despair. *** Anyone who is not called to celibacy should avoid it, and get married. Is this not utterly obvious? Priests are not pressed into service at gunpoint, or involuntarily castrated. One wearies of the continual nonsense that is spouted by Protestants in their detestation of a wonderfully pious practice. *** Certainly, when marriage was interdicted to priests, it was done with impious tyranny, not only contrary to the word of God, but contrary to all justice. *** All institutions in life have requirements. Why should the Catholic Church be any different? Its not required of everyone; only those who wish to be priests, by Gods calling. *** First, men had no title whatever to forbid what God had left free; *** Then why did Calvin rule Geneva with such a dictatorial hand, if he was so intensely concerned with personal freedom? *** secondly, it is too clear to make it necessary to give any lengthened proof that God has expressly provided in his Word that this liberty shall not be infringed. I omit Pauls injunction, in numerous passages, that a bishop be the husband of one wife; *** Sure; if a bishop is married at all. He should not be guilty of bigamy or divorce and remarriage! That doesnt mean that the Church has no jurisdiction to require celibacy if she so desires. *** but what could be stronger than his declaration, that in the latter days there would be impious men forbidding to marry? ( 1 Tim. 4:3 ) Catholics do not forbid anyone to marry, strictly speaking. The Church simply says that she (and not even in its entirety, as Eastern Catholics allow married priests) wishes to draw for her priests exclusively from that portion of men who are already called by God to celibacy (1 Cor 7:17), in order to secure an undistracted devotion to the Lord (1 Cor 7:32, 35). The Church is not approaching a man who wants to be married and forbidding him to do so (i.e., going against his existing vocation and station in life); rather, she is receiving men who voluntarily follow the divine vocation of celibacy and who are voluntarily following a call by God to be priests. Why this is the least bit controversial has always been a complete puzzle to me. I can only chalk it up to good old prejudice. Its a way to lie about and bash the Catholic Church, and it is an emotional subject, so it is used for propaganda, with little regard for reason or biblical rationale. It plays well to the crowds. Its demagoguery, pure and simple. *** Such persons he calls not only impostors, but devils. Yes, but Calvin simply assumes this is applying to a practice such as that of the Catholic Church, rather than pseudo-ascetic extreme sects like the Manichees and Gnostics and (later) Albigensians and suchlike. The Catholic Church is following the advice of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 7. If Calvin doesnt like that, he needs to attack the Apostle Paul directly. That is his burden. Many Protestant commentaries agree with my assessment of 1 Timothy 4:3, over against Calvins anti-Catholic fantasies: The ascetic tendencies indicated by these prohibitions developed earlier than these Epistles among the Essenes . . . who repudiated marriage except as a necessity for preserving the race, and allowed it only under protest and under stringent regulations . . . The prohibitions above named were imposed by the later Gnosticism of the second century. (Marvin Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament , Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1980 [originally 1887], Vol. IV, 245) See Col. 2:16, 21f., where Paul condemns the ascetic practices of the Gnostics. The Essenes, Therapeutae and other oriental sects forbade marriage. In 1 Cor. 7 Paul does not condemn marriage. (A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament , Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1931, Vol. IV, 578) The assertions of these verses are significant when studied in relation to the Gnostic and dualistic views that matter is evil and not created by God. ( The Eerdmans Bible Commentary , edited by D. Guthrie et al, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 3rd edition, 1970, 1173) *** We have therefore a prophecy, a sacred oracle of the Holy Spirit, intended to warn the Church from the outset against perils, and declaring that the prohibition of marriage is a doctrine of devils. We agree, and we deny that this applies to the Catholic position. Calvin perhaps because of his rush to condemn Catholicism from top to bottom doesnt grasp the fundamental distinctions involved. *** They think that they get finely off when they wrest this passage, and apply it to Montanus, the Tatians, the Encratites, and other ancient heretics. These (they say) alone condemned marriage; we by no means condemn it, but only deny it to the ecclesiastical order, in whom we think it not befitting. Much better. This approaches a position of actually understanding that which he opposes. *** As if, even granting that this prophecy was primarily fulfilled in those heretics, it is not applicable also to themselves; But its not, because our position (rightly understood) is also St. Pauls. If Calvin wants to attack it, he should, to be consistent, go after Paul too. But of course he does not. Hed rather play sophistical games. *** or, as if one could listen to the childish quibble that they do not forbid marriage, because they do not forbid it to all. This is just as if a tyrant were to contend that a law is not unjust because its injustice presses only on a part of the state. I repeat: all institutions impose rules and regulations. All organizations have entrance requirements. It is a part of life and reality. The Catholic Church has a perfect right and liberty under God to have this restriction, based on the teachings of St. Paul. I dont think it is even arguable. This discussion is often conducted on a purely irrational, emotional plane. *** 24. An argument for the celibacy of priests answered. They object that there ought to be some distinguishing mark between the clergy and the people; as if the Lord had not provided the ornaments in which priests ought to excel. St. Paul seemed to think that celibacy was a desired spiritual state, as long as one is called to it. Jesus was single. All of His disciples appear to have been also (Peter seems to have agreed with his wife to separate for the sake of ministry). We treasure celibacy and we treasure marriage (making it a sacrament, whereas Calvin and Luther removed sacramentality from it). This is the biblical, Pauline, both/and. But Calvin has no place for Pauls extolling of celibacy for the sake of greater service to the Lord, in his system. So which outlook is more biblical and well-rounded? Is it not utterly obvious? What would Calvin do with, for example, the following passage from the lips of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?: Luke 18:28-20 And Peter said, Lo, we have left our homes and followed you. [29] And he said to them, Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, [30] who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life. Why should we Catholics disagree with Jesus? The Catholic Church is not even requiring this much. She doesnt command a man to leave his wife or children or parents. Rather, she accepts men who have already felt the call or vocation of celibacy. Again, Calvins beef is with Jesus Himself, Who sanctioned far more of a deprivation of liberty or imprisoning conscience than the Catholic Church ever supposedly did. *** Thus they charge the apostle with having disturbed the ecclesiastical order, and destroyed its ornament, when, in drawing the picture of a perfect bishop, he presumed to set down marriage among the other endowments which he required of them. At times there have been married bishops, because this is a disciplinary matter, not a dogmatic one. Its neither here nor there. *** I am aware of the mode in which they expound thisviz. that no one was to be appointed a bishop who had a second wife. This interpretation, I admit, is not new; but its unsoundness is plain from the immediate context, which prescribes the kind of wives whom bishops and deacons ought to have. Paul enumerates marriage among the qualities of a bishop; . . . *** We have married priests today in the Eastern Rites, and there have been married bishops in the past. Both/and. But Calvinism and general Protestantism sure dont have much of a tradition of single pastors, do they? They accept one-half of Pauls teaching and not the other, and this is the problem. *** Let every one consider with himself from what forge these things have come. Christ deigns so to honour marriage as to make it an image of his sacred union with the Church. What greater eulogy could be pronounced on the dignity of marriage? None, but it is irrelevant to the point at hand. *** How, then, dare they have the effrontery to give the name of unclean and polluted to that which furnishes a bright representation of the spiritual grace of Christ? *** The same way that Jesus Himself (along with Paul) does: Matthew 19:10-12 The disciples said to him, If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. [11] But he said to them, Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. [12] For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it. Obviously, then, Calvin and many Protestants are among those who cant receive this plain teaching of Jesus. Thats not our problem, that they are so unwilling to accept certain parts of inspired divine revelation. We show no such reluctance and lack of faith and trust in Gods designs. *** 25. Another argument answered. Though their prohibition is thus clearly repugnant to the word of God, Really? I should think that the truth is clearly quite the opposite, once all the relevant biblical data is examined, and clear thinking brought to bear, rather than irrational emotionalism and a slanderous anti-Catholic motivation. *** they, however, find something in the Scriptures to defend it. The Levitical priests, as often as their ministerial course returned, behoved to keep apart from their wives, that they might be pure and immaculate in handling sacred things; and it were therefore very indecorous that our sacred things, which are more noble, and are ministered every day, should be handled by those who are married: as if the evangelical ministry were of the same character as the Levitical priesthood. . . . the apostle declares distinctly, without reservation, Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge (Heb. 13:4). And the apostles showed, by their own example, that marriage is not unbefitting the holiness of any function, however excellent; for Paul declares, that they not only retained their wives, but led them about with them (1 Cor. 9:5). *** Why is 1 Corinthians 7 overlooked throughout the entire section of Calvins wrongheaded, unbiblical rantings against celibacy? The Levitical priests offer one analogy, but Calvin neglects to see it based on sweeping bigotry [a portion of the deleted portion above]: ecclesiastical pastors do not sustain this character in the present day. This is hardly intellectually impressive. *** 26. Another argument answered. Then how great the effrontery when, in holding forth this ornament of chastity as a matter of necessity, they throw the greatest obloquy on the primitive Church, which, while it abounded in admirable divine erudition, excelled more in holiness. For if they pay no regard to the apostles (they are sometimes wont strenuously to contemn them), Who is not paying attention? Calvin has ignored 1 Corinthians 7, and he has ignored the fact of Pauls and the twelve disciples celibacy and separation from wives in some cases, for the sake of ministry. *** what, I ask, will they make of all the ancient fathers, who, it is certain, not only tolerated marriage in the episcopal order, but also approved it? Nothing, as it is irrelevant: celibacy being a matter of discipline, not dogma. *** They, forsooth, encouraged a foul profanation of sacred things when the mysteries of the Lord were thus irregularly performed by them. In the Council of Nice, indeed, there was some question of proclaiming celibacy: as there are never wanting little men of superstitious minds, who are always devising some novelty as a means of gaining admiration for themselves. St. Pauls express teachings are superstitious novelties? That is an odd (beyond bizarre) thing for a Protestant to imply. *** What was resolved? The opinion of Paphnutius was adopted, who pronounced legitimate conjugal intercourse to be chastity (Hist. Trip. Lib. 2 c. 14). The marriage of priests, therefore, continued sacred, and was neither regarded as a disgrace, nor thought to cast any stain on their ministry. *** They were less conformed to the Pauline model in those days, but that doesnt mean the Pauline model cannot be followed should the Church decide to make it normative. *** An argument drawn from the commendation of virginity as superior to marriage. Answer. 27. In the times which succeeded, a too superstitious admiration of celibacy prevailed. Hence, ever and anon, unmeasured encomiums were pronounced on virginity, so that it became the vulgar belief that scarcely any virtue was to be compared to it. And although marriage was not condemned as impurity, yet its dignity was lessened, and its sanctity obscured; No; only from Calvins dichotomous either/or mentality does this follow. Catholics think in both/and terms. *** so that he who did not refrain from it was deemed not to have a mind strong enough to aspire to perfection. We can strive for perfection in whatever state of life God has called us to. *** Hence those canons which enacted, first, that those who had attained the priesthood should not contract marriage; and, secondly, that none should be admitted to that order but the unmarried, or those who, with the consent of their wives, renounced the marriage-bed. That is, just as Jesus Himself sanctioned (Luke 18:29). *** These enactments, as they seemed to procure reverence for the priesthood, were, I admit, received even in ancient times with great applause. But if my opponents plead antiquity, my first answer is, that both under the apostles, and for several ages after, bishops were at liberty to have wives: that the apostles themselves, and other pastors of primitive authority who succeeded them, had no difficulty in using this liberty, and that the example of the primitive Church ought justly to have more weight than allow us to think that what was then received and used with commendation is either illicit or unbecoming. Scripture itself: the words of our Lord and the Apostle Paul carry as much weight in the scheme of things as the prevailing practices of the early Church (assuming for the sake of argument that it was as Calvin describes). *** My second answer is, that the age, which, from an immoderate affection for virginity, began to be less favourable to marriage, did not bind a law of celibacy on the priests, as if the thing were necessary in itself, but gave a preference to the unmarried over the married. Hence, the Western, Latin Rites in Catholicism take one path, and the Eastern Rites another. Both/and. But Protestantism mostly teaches Only, only. Celibacy is frowned upon, especially in pastors, and this is an unbiblical, un-Pauline attitude. *** 28. The subject of celibacy concluded. This error not favoured by all ancient writers. A Christian university offers a free course so its students can get a license to carry a concealed firearm? Why are guns so important to the folks at Liberty that they offer a course on concealed carry free of charge? If a Christian college offers free courses on carrying guns, but charges money for courses on the Gospels and the letters of Paul, what does this say about the schools priorities and mission? The quote comes from Larry Behrendts blog Jewish-Christian Intersections. Of related interest, the AAR and SBL annual meeting is in Texas next year, and Texas has recently passed an open carry law. For those from saner parts of the world than my own country, that means that not only can you carry a weapon, but you can carry it openly, e.g. hanging over your shoulder as you walk around a store or in a restaurant. For those of us who think that is dangerous, we might want to ask AAR and SBL to ensure that firearms are prohibited on the premises of the conference, and to ask that restaurants in the vicinity post their policy visibly so that conference attendees can make an informed choice about whether to dine at their establishment. For what its worth, Indiana also has an open carry law, but I have never seen people wandering around Indianapolis with a firearm. Then again, to my knowledge Indianas governor has never challenged Obama to come and take his guns. If you attend the annual meeting in November, you might want to print some of the cards below. I would certainly leave immediately from anywhere I was if I saw someone with a gun there, without hesitation, and so it might be useful to have something to leave behind by way of explanation, since I certainly wouldnt stop to have a conversation while some person with a deadly weapon is present. This afternoon I learned that an armed militia group has occupied a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon. As I peruse twitter and read about the militants calls for all true patriots to bring their guns and join them, I am reminded of the summers I spent as a teen at a small camp in the midwest in the early 2000s. We didnt drill or shoot gunsthe camp was held at state parks, and I suspect that wasnt permittedand the camp was ostensibly about teaching young people how true constitutional principles and Christian religion, not about creating a paramilitary force. Still, every time something like this happens I am taken back to those summers and that camp. It was at that camp that I learned about the ostensibly unlawful federal control of much of the U.S. land mass. We talked about the possibility of declaring your individual land sovereign territory, and personally seceding from the U.S. We learned about individuals who had done just that, and about the governments unlawful attempts to collect property taxes from these sovereign citizens. It was clear that the camp leaders and speakers were inspired by the ostensible patriotism of these individuals, whether or not they personally took this path themselves. We learned other things about land too. For example, we were taught that in the early 1990s a U.N. agreement very nearly turned the vast, vast majority of the U.S. into uninhabitable nature preserves. Years later I became curious and looked this up. What I found was Agenda 21. According to the Daily Beast: While the name might sound a bit ominous, Agenda 21 is a voluntary action plan that offers suggestions for sustainable ways local, state and national governments can combat poverty and pollution and conserve natural resources in the 21st century. (Thats where the 21 comes from. Get it?) 178 governmentsincluding the U.S. led by then-President George H.W. Bushvoted to adopt the program which is, again, not legally binding in any way, at the 1992 U.N. Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. One of the speakers told us that back when the agreement was being discussed he read through the entire thing and taken a map and marked up what land would be considered inhabitable and what land would be completely off limits to humans, as dictated by the agreements provisions. He told us that the map he created left only tiny slivers for human habitation, and that he was able to present the map to Congress in time to prevent Congress from implementing the agreement. We listened in awe, thankful that we were not living in the futuristic dystopia he outlined. There was a lot of talk about the overreach of the federal government, but there was even more talk about the overreach of the U.N. One of the speakers explained us that the U.N. was seeking to take control of the world through environmental treaties, which were illustrated as ropes binding independent countries so that their sovereignty disappeared. In fact, we were taught that environmentalism itself was a U.N. conspiracy to take over the world. I nodded in agreement, moved by the speakers insistence that we must get the U.S. out of the U.N. In keeping with this opposition to environmentalism, we learned that shoot, shovel, and shut up was the correct response for landowners dealing with endangered species on their land. After all, what the federal government didnt know about it couldnt prosecute, and environmentalism was a way for the federal government to exert unlawful and oppressive control over private property. We learned that the Environmental Protection Agency itself was illegitimate, and that the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act should never have been passed. OSHA violations resulted in extra points during cabin inspections. We were taught that the ideal position was to be an independent business owner living on ones own property and homeschooling ones childrenthat such a household was not beholden to anyone. I cant remember whether this ideal included alternative energy sources and a reliance on well water, though Im sure it would today. I do remember some emphasis on prepping, and there was a definite emphasis on gun ownershipindeed, we were taught that gun ownership was central to being a free and independent citizen, rather than a slave of the government. I would be remiss if I didnt mention the songs we sang around the campfire at night. I wish I had saved a copy of the camp songbook, because it was quite a specimen. Some of the songs were your standard patriotic songs, but others were far, far different. There were anti-UN songs, for example, and anti-government songsironic for an ostensibly patriotic camp. And perhaps that is the central irony of the camp. The camps byline was where Gods Word and patriotism go hand in hand, and yet the camps content was soundly and profoundly anti-government. A lot of the things Ive said above may seem a bit kooky, but you have to understand the atmosphere of the camp. Quite a number of the parents stayed, interested in hearing the speakers themselves. Indeed, the respect they showed toward the speakers spoke volumes to me, as a child. We were told that we were incredibly blessed to have important experts take the time to come speak at our camp, and that we should not take our opportunity to learn at their feet for granted. Who was I to question people my parents held in high esteem as experts? I lapped up every word. At this camp I learned the ideas that motivate todays militia movement, including those currently occupying a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon. We may not have practiced our marksmanship, but we learned that federal control of Western land is illegitimate and that the government had become oppressive to private property rights and the liberties of independent citizens. We were taught to see the government as illegitimate, and were told that guns and ammunition were central to protecting our rights and freedoms from this illegitimate and oppressive force. These are the ideas that inform todays armed militia members in their occupation of federal land. Ironically, some the things I was taught at this camp, as well as at home, ultimately prompted me to question and reject the conservative mindset I adopted as a teen. Both my parents and the camp speakers urged me to question experts and think for myself. They believed this would inoculate me against the liberal party line, but didnt realize I wouldnt stop there. When some of the things Id learned didnt line up I realized I needed to question conservative experts as well as liberal experts, and the rest, as they say, is history. Over time I came to understand that no citizen is truly independent of every other citizen, that we are all interconnected. I realized that even a private business owner living on their own land and homeschooling their children relies on government roads and government police forces, to scratch the surface. This sort of militia ideology ignores the social contract, the importance of our interdependency and the necessity of the government in providing for the public welfare. This is where the militia movement, and with its anti-government ideology, fails. Still, as long as I live, I will always remember those summers at militia camp. ISHMAELS CHILDREN IN AMERICA: A SONG OF ISLAM James Ishmael Ford 3 January 2016 Pacific Unitarian Church Rancho Palos Verdes, California When I was a young Zen monk living in a monastery in Oakland, we were informed that we were getting a VIP visitor. His name was Samuel Lewis, and while he was mostly known as a Sufi master, he had also been acknowledged for his insight by spiritual teachers in a number of traditions, one of which was Zen. Ours was a bit more mainstream Zen Buddhist community and so most of us were expecting for us something on the rather exotic side, sort of a Zen zebra. We werent disappointed. When he arrived I was on the hospitality team, and answered the door. Standing on the front step was an elderly man only a few inches more than five feet tall. He had shoulder length grey hair, a full beard, and oversized black plastic framed glasses. He was wearing the robes of a Korean Zen priest, I later learned put on special for the occasion. Before I could say anything, actually before I could take a full breath he brushed past me and looked around. His first words were, Wali Ali, take a letter. A young somewhat pudgy man followed along after him trying to write in a stenographers notebook. As the Zen and Sufi masters entourage of four or five followed he proceeded to examine the large old building that had been converted into a Zen monastery dictating his observations along the way, mostly, although not a hundred percent positive. After his inspection the murshid, a Sufi title meaning guide or teacher, finally went to the roshis private rooms, and spent an hour or so with her. His students and we Zen monastics went into the kitchen, drank tea and talked about the spiritual scene in the San Francisco Bay Area at the end of the nineteen sixties. We had a lot to discuss. When Murshid Sam, as he was best known, and his students left and we returned to our accustomed silence, I was acutely aware how he had left a physical impression on the space that took days to fully dissipate. Fast forward a lot of years. I was living in San Diego, working in a bookstore. Id long left the monastery, and at the time Id thought Id left Zen, as well. My marriage had collapsed, I felt pretty lost. And while Murshid Sam had died, almost on a whim I decided I would go back up to the Bay Area to San Francisco and study with one of his principal successors, the formerly pudgy young man called Wali Ali. Spent a couple of years in that Sufi kankhah, their residential center, and while my own spirituality eventually took me in other directions Ive always had a soft spot in my heart for them. The Ishmael in my name was presented to me in those days by one of their sheikhs, or teachers. And Ive proudly kept it as a token not only of those days, but, of the importance those days continue to occupy in my heart. Now, to be clear, this was a school of Sufism that no longer saw itself as exclusively Muslim, and many orthodox Muslims wouldnt consider them part of the faith at all. But in fact a number of the residents and associated practitioners were practicing Muslims. And, it was knowing and watching them that I came to have a sense of a vastly different Islam emerging here in the West than we hear about on the news. And that opens what I would like to reflect on with you today. We are up to our eyeballs engaged in the Middle Easts struggles sometimes with justification, and even for good and noble reasons, and sometimes, truthfully, its hard to find any good reason why we do what we do there. Frankly, it would be foolish to miss how in our military presence we have fanned and continue to fan the flames of fundamentalism as a form of resistance to the foreigners that pretty much everyone in that region see as invaders, even when wanted were seen as a necessary evil. So, I suggest we can profitably do a little soul searching about all that. But, also, Islam is very much on our collective minds. And it should be. We need to understand it. And in particular we need to understand Islam in this country. I suggest what were seeing in the popular media and particularly what were hearing from politicians is for the most part not accurate. The biggest problem is reducing Islam to its fundamentalist versions. For instance the religion of Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State is Sunni Wahhabi fundamentalism. Understanding that fundamentalist form of Islam is important, just as we need to see the agenda of fundamentalist movements in Christianity like Dominionist theology. But, and this is so important, like with Dominionist Christianity, as dangerous and frightening as that is, theres vastly more to either faith than that twisted distillation of fear of the other with a quest for the purity of true belief, which is fundamentalism in whatever flavor you prefer. In fact the vast majority of Muslims in the world are not fundamentalists, quite likely not much larger a percentage than within world Judaism or Christianity. And specifically, the face of American Islam is in fact, largely, the face of a religion that is about as moderate as Christian Methodists or American Baptists, or, at worst, if you will, most like Southern Baptists. They take their faith seriously, but they are also many other things, genuinely part of the fabric of our larger culture. All in all American Muslims are much more about their faiths many attractive features than any of the scary things we hear associated with Wahhabism or other Islamic fundamentalisms. Im not going to spend our time today exploring the basic principles of Islam, such as the five pillars. A simple google search will give you that. Rather, I want to address a more important point too often missed. What I want to hold our focus to here today, is how a rather rich, a startlingly beautiful, and a genuinely interesting Islam is emerging here within the great multicultural experiment that is America. Now the lists of our sins in this country are numerous. But, despite the fact the majority of us are Christian thanks to the founders who wrote it into our Constitution, we have been able to resist any attempts to create theocratic control in any lasting way. At least so far, so good. And as a result both moderate and liberal forms of Islam have been able to flourish here without significant hindrance. So far. Now as you look at the range of Muslims here, some are indeed fundamentalists. And I have big concerns about Saudi money trying to purchase influence here, particularly underwriting mosques. That noted, most American Muslims are moderates. And the rising influence of organizations like the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and the Center for Islamic Pluralism speak to that moderate voice finding its place here in America. Also, I notice how even those who take Saudi money seem as often as not happy to get the cash, but continue on a much more moderate course than their benefactors might have thought they were buying. But, truthfully, the ones I really find fascinating are the liberals and progressives. There has been a current of liberal and progressive Islam for, well, pretty much as long as there has been an Islam. But, in authoritarian and theocratic regimes, and these days in states that feel under assault by the West, liberals and progressives of all sorts have suffered considerable persecution. But here in America, a place with an unparalleled freedom of religious expression that liberal impulse is beginning to be explored to the full. Another major factor in this are our black American Muslims. Theyre worth an entire field of study. In the early twentieth century Americans of African decent were first evangelized by the only nominally Muslim Nation of Islam. But the vast majority who found Islam something important quickly moved on to more normative forms. However, here we have both American converts and now several generations who bring are both genuinely Muslim and completely American culturally. And, the degree of their influence on the immigrant Muslim communities that have been following is hard to overstate. Thanks to these conditions what is emerging is fascinating. This liberal, this progressive Islam is beginning to take shape. Number one among their principals has been holding up the right of the individual to interpret the texts, both the Quran, and the commentarial Hadith. And, actually, with a trend among the most progressive among them, to reject that authority of the Hadith, at all. Like with Judaism, these progressive Muslims believe the ability to discern right and wrong comes with being human and is independent of any particular prophets revelations, opening them to full dialogue with any other tradition. Also, right up there with the right of conscience these liberal Muslims fiercely advocate the complete equality of women and men. This is rich stuff. I suggest those who call for a Muslim Reformation, well, this is it, happening now, happening here. Here everything is on the table, even the institutions are open to challenge. Actually, according to a Pew study Gen X and Millennial Muslims in ever-increasing numbers flatly reject mosque cultures and those questionable influences from those willing to build the buildings and pay the clerics. Instead they look for new and creative ways to live and to engage with each other and their faith. We see something similar happening with the Emerging Christian movement, not institutionally dependent, built around small groups of friends. Open. Questioning. Deeply fertile. And, heres another thing worth noticing. Despite the fact that over three quarters of Republicans and too many others agree with the statement that Islam is incompatible with the American way of life, American Muslims have in fact been wildly successful integrating into our culture. This is backed by statistics. They tend to be better educated than most, about forty percent as opposed to the shy of thirty percent of the general population having at least an undergraduate degree. And, I think this a terribly important number, according to a Gallup poll taken in 2009, fully seventy percent of American Muslims consider themselves politically liberal, at least by the definitions we use in this country. Of course, knowing those other currents among American Muslims, this should hardly be a surprise. And, of course, then there are the Sufis. Totalitarians dont like them. Fundamentalists hate them. And here in this country theyre flourishing in all sorts of varieties. For me this is the most interesting of all the forms of Islam. Theres a reason I cherish what has become my middle name. And it is the Sufis. Our own popular culture, and for many of us, our very spirituality, wide and inviting as it is, is being enriched most directly by Sufi poets, and of those most deeply and pervasively Jalaluddin Rumi. As many here know the most popular poet in America today is this thirteenth century liberal Muslim Sufi. Theres a reason he fits into our Unitarian Universalist hymnal. You want to find the wisdom that emerges in a multi cultural nation where all religions and those with none claim a right to be at the table? You want someone who from such wild openness proclaims our deepest possibility, what is happening here, now, just because of our genuine welcoming? I suggest you need look no farther than that Muslim Jalalluddin Rumi, who some eight hundred years ago sang to us of what he called the one song. Here in Coleman Barks translation. Every war and every conflict between human beings has happened because of some disagreement about names. It is such an unnecessary foolishness, because just beyond the arguing there is a long table of companionship set and waiting for us to sit down. What is praised is one, so the praise is one too, many jugs being poured into a huge basin. All religions, all this singing, one song. The differences are just illusion and vanity. Sunlight looks a little different on this wall than it does on that wall and a lot different on this other one, but it is still one light. We have borrowed these clothes, these time-and-space personalities, from a light, and when we praise, we are pouring them back in. Okay. We may yet be a ways from when it is common for a Sufi murshid to also be acknowledged as a Zen master, but I am sure that one song is being sung even today, and without a doubt, it is being sung here. Here, in this strange, troubled, conflicted, and wondrous country. This is what gives me hope. What I am sure of is that the table has been set. And the conversations have begun. Christians and Jews, Muslims, and Hindus, Buddhists and humanists, and more, many, many more; were all at the table. And now we just need to look into each others hearts. I have no doubt as we do, we will see our place. And, with that we can find our hope. Hope. Hope. So be it. Blessed be. And, amen. Patna: Hundreds of supporters of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Patna on Thursday took out a victory march to celebrate the party's spectacular show in the Delhi Assembly polls. Led by AAP leader and former Janata Dal U minister in the Nitish cabinet Parveen Amanullah, the road show began at Kankarbagh and after passing through several major streets like Exhibition Road and Gandhi Maidan before culminating at the busy Dak Bungalow Crossing. Chanting pro-Arvind Kejriwal slogans, AAP supporters said that after unfurling the victory flag on the nation's capital, it was time for Bihar where AAP will do an encore of its Delhi performance. "AAP has arrived in Patna and those who encourage or participate in corruption better not forget it. Corrupt politicians with big egos are only concerned with power while the common man pays the price. By continuing to play the caste and communal cards, these people keep the people backward. AAP is going to tackle all these issues in the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar," Amanullah said. FARGO -- When Donald Trump is on TV, Richard Omar changes the channel. "I had respect for him years ago, but I don't anymore," Omar said. The 65-year-old retired electrician once admired Trump the businessman. But he has no patience for Trump the presidential candidate and his proposal to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. The issue is personal for Omar. He's one of a dwindling number of North Dakotans with strong ancestral ties to a little-known enclave of Lebanese Muslims that built America's first mosque in 1929 on a piece of prairie in Ross. These days, when terrorism concerns are influencing the debate about Muslim immigration, including whether to allow entry to Syrian refugees, the enclave is a reminder of just how long Muslims have called North Dakota home. Omar, who lives outside Stanley, not far from the site of the Ross mosque, said Trump, with his proposed immigration ban, has effectively grouped all Muslims into the terrorist category. Charlie Juma Jr., a Stanley native whose grandparents were Muslim settlers, said the proposal is just another example of Trump's bluster. "He's doing a lot of talking and making a lot of threats," said Juma, an 81-year-old retired farmer and rancher. "It's not only the Muslims that's causing trouble in the world." Syrian refugee crisis North Dakota's early settlement of Arab immigrants came from what is now Lebanon, said William Sherman, a retired priest and sociologist who's researched the topic. When these settlers emigrated in the early 1900s, Lebanon was not yet an independent country. It was part of Syria, which was controlled by the Turkish Empire. Consequently, U.S. immigration records listed the settlers as Syrian, said Sherman, who co-wrote a book about the group titled "Prairie Peddlers: The Syrian-Lebanese in North Dakota." The Syrian designation stuck enough that the settlers formed Syrian clubs in North Dakota, and even today, some descendants refer to themselves as Syrian. After World War I, Lebanon became a separate nation that borders Syria. Recent violence in Syria has prompted millions to flee the country, and many have made long journeys to Europe to seek asylum. It's a state of affairs that depresses Juma. "I don't know what in the world is going on over there," he said. In September, President Barack Obama announced plans to allow some 10,000 Syrian refugees into the U.S. But in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks in November, more than half the country's governors, including North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple, demanded that the flow of Syrian refugees be halted, citing concerns that the federal government's screening process is inadequate to weed out terrorists. On this issue, Omar and Juma side with Dalrymple and the other governors. "It's not that I don't want to let refugees in. But at this time, no," Omar said. For Juma, the current situation is too uncertain to admit the refugees. "My opinion is leave them where they're at," he said. Syrians have not been part of North Dakota's refugee resettlement program in the past, but other refugee groups with Muslim populations, including Somalis and Bosnians, have come here in large numbers. 'Understand your roots' Like other homesteaders who arrived in North Dakota in the early 1900s, Lebanese settlers were drawn here by the prospect of free land, which they learned about through word-of-mouth and through reports in Arabic-language newspapers, Sherman said. About 2,000 settled throughout the state. Most of them were Christian, but about 400 were Muslim, he said. Among the Lebanese Christian immigrants was Vernon Owan's father, Charles, who traveled from Beirut to the U.S. by himself in 1906 at the age of 13. He came through Mexico and then Sioux City, Iowa, before heading to North Dakota. "He started peddling dry goods just from horse and buggy," Owan said. "He peddled them all the way to North Dakota." Owan, 81, said he disagrees with Trump's call to ban Muslim immigration. "I don't believe in just a free country. I believe in a free world," said Owan, who visited Lebanon and Syria in 1980. As for Syrian refugees, Owan said he empathizes with them and believes they should be allowed into the U.S. "I really feel for them because I'm one of them," he said. "You have to understand your roots." Owan grew up on a farm 20 miles northwest of Williston. "All the friends we had that came over, Arab friends, spoke Lebanese. And of course, I learned it from listening to my daddy, relatives talk," said Owan, who can still speak the language. Events in Iraq, Iran converge to produce hope 01/04/16 Opinion/Column by R. K. Ramazani (First published by The Daily Progress on January 3, 2016) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York in September 2015 (photo by Islamic Republic News Agency) After years of discussion, Irans nuclear agreement of July reached a turning point last week on Dec. 28. A Russian shipment carried almost all of Irans stockpile of low-enriched uranium out of the country, a major step toward implementing the nuclear deal struck last summer. For the first time in nearly a decade, Iran was left with too little fuel to manufacture a nuclear weapon. Secretary of State John Kerry called it one of the most significant steps Iran has taken toward fulfilling its commitment. On implementation day, roughly $100 billion in Iranian assets will be unfrozen, and the country will be free to sell oil on world markets and operate in the world financial system. At the same time, Iraqi forces backed by American airstrikes reportedly recaptured central Ramadi, a provincial capital 60 miles from Baghdad, overrun by the Islamic State seven months ago. It is estimated that the Islamic States control of Iraqi territory has shrunk by 40 percent since last year. President Obama has increased the level of American troops in Iraq to 3,500; and since July, the United States-led coalition has supported Iraqi troops with 630 airstrikes against Islamic State targets in and around Ramadi. The United States and its coalition allies have pledged $50 million to the newly liberated city. But a single military victory by Iraqi forces isnt the whole story: The raised morale of the Iraqi security forces would seem to point toward the recapture of Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city. Such a victory could well lead to the destruction of the Islamic State and its propaganda instruments. Since the United States and Iran are two of the leading opponents of the Islamic State, these concurrent events - the first important step toward implementing the nuclear deal and the first significant victory of the U.S. plan for defeating the Islamic State - may signal a shift in the seemingly unstoppable momentum toward an ever grimmer state of affairs in the Middle East. Irans willingness to engage diplomatically, despite its revolutionary ideology, is not altogether new. Even at the height of the Iranian hostage crisis (1979-1981), the founding father of the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, admonished the Islamic zealots who objected to his decision to establish relations with Turkey and Germany. He said that establishing relations with other countries is compatible not only with the Islamic prophetic tradition but also with Iranian national interests. Failure to establish relations, he warned sternly, would mean defeat and annihilation for Iran. Contrary to the assumption that Khomeini forbade talk with America, he left the door open to negotiations, indicating Irans willingness to resume relations with the United States if America behaves itself ( agar adam beshavad ) - that is, if America refrained from attempting to dominate Iran. Given the many distrustful pronouncements by Ayatollah Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, it is sometimes assumed that he wishes for no relations with the United States. Yet, as a matter of fact, when he endorsed Hassan Ruhani as prime minister and Javad Zarif as his foreign minister, he created a pathway to establishing relations with the United States. In this sense, he gave his blessing to diplomatic engagement with America. The simultaneous fulfillment of the Iranian nuclear agreement with the United States and the victory of Iraqi forces were expected by few, but they have come together as an omen of the normalization of Iran as an international actor, and of better prospects for Iraq, for Syria, and even for the wider Middle East, with the curbing of nuclear proliferation. After an especially bleak period in the history of the region, cautious optimism for the new year might not be misplaced. Now that the nuclear deal is becoming a reality and Irans assets may soon be unfrozen, there is reason to hope for better relations between Iran and the United States and for a successful if tacit collaboration between the two countries in routing the Islamic State. R.K. Ramazani is the Edward R. Stettinius Professor Emeritus of Government and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia. His latest book is "Independence without Freedom: Iran's Foreign Policy." Tehran air pollution takes fatal toll on disabled students 01/04/16 Source: Radio Zamaneh The head of the Tehran Board of Special Education says three disabled students in Tehran have died due to severe pollution in the city. The state television network Seda va Sima reported on Saturday January 2 that the three students were hospitalized due to respiratory complications and later passed away in hospital. The last selfie (cartoon by Amin Montazeri, Shargh daily) In recent weeks, the average air quality index in Tehran was above 150, and Vajihollah Parvizi, the head of special education, emphasized that anything above 120 would be hazardous to many of their students. Mehdi Chamran, the secretary of Tehran's City Council, said last week that air pollution had increased the number of deaths in the capital to 180 per day, up from 150. After three weeks, air pollution in the Iranian capital has finally dipped to acceptable levels due to precipitation. Most recent reports from the Department of the Environment indicate that the "air quality index on Saturday morning was at 60 and in the healthy range." LAS VEGASEven though CES 2016 is mostly consumer products, PC makers like Lenovo often showcase their new business offerings in Las Vegas as well. This year, Lenovo is featuring Chrome and Windows 10 systems, including ultra-thin business tablets with 2-in-1 functionality, traditional laptops, innovative desktops, and a lot in between. The highlight this year is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet, a modular slate tablet that's an extension of the brand originated by the ThinkPad X1 Carbon ($1,281.75 at Lenovo)(Opens in a new window) . The X1 Tablet features an Intel Core m7 processor, 10 hours of battery life, and a modular connector that clips to a Productivity module (a 15-hour battery pack), Presenter module with pico projector and HDMI port, or the 3D Imaging module (Intel RealSense camera). The X1 Tablet also has a detachable ThinkPad keyboard with integrated TrackPoint, and weighs 2.4 pounds with the keyboard attached. The ThinkPad X1 Tablet starts at $899 and will be available in February. Other extensions and upgrades to the X1 line include the ThinkPad X1 Yoga, a convertible-hybrid laptop with a multimode design and an optional OLED screen. Rounding out the trio is the updated ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which tips the scales at 2.6 pounds. All three X1 products are available with 1TB SSD storage, Qulacomm Snapdragon X7 4G LTE modems, optional WiGig docking, and TPM security. The X1 Yoga starts at $1,449 and is available in January, while the X1 Carbon starts at $1,299 and is available in February as well. ThinkPad X1-branded accessories including a wireless touch mouse, in-ear headphones, and a WiGig docking station will also be available at the end of this month. Desktops aren't dead: Witness the Lenovo ThinkCentre X1 AIO with a 23.8-inch screen that's only 11mm (0.43 inch) thick. Dust kills hardware components via overheating, so the X1 AIO is made to run for a decade or more, thanks to a dust-resistant design. It arrives in March, starting at $1,029. Joining the X1 AIO are the second-gen ThinkCentre-in-one (TIO) 22-inch and 24-inch, a pair of Full HD displays with integrated slots that hide removable desktops like last year's Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tiny and Chromebox Tiny. Lenovo's traditional laptop lines also receive updates, with the new ThinkPad T460 (14-inch Full HD display) and T560 (15.6-inch, up to 3K resolution). Joining them in the T-series are the ThinkPad T460s, a slim ultraportable that weighs 3 pounds, while the T460p is the power user's desktop replacement model. All of the ThinkPad T-Series laptops feature sixth-gen Intel Core processors, SSD options up to 512GB, and up to 24GB or 32GB of system memory. They will be available in February starting at $909 for the T460 and up to $1,249 for the T460p. Businesses and schools on a budget will be attracted to the ThinkPad 13 (above), which starts at $499 for a Windows 10 model, and $399 for one with Chrome OS. The ThinkPad 13 is Mil-Spec tested, so it will withstand the rigors of a day-to-day use. You'll find a USB-C port on the system, along with an SSD up to 512GB and up to 16GB of memory. The Windows version is available in April, with the Chrome model following in June. Rounding out the business announcements are the ThinkPad X260, a 12.5-inch ultraportable with up to 21 hours of battery life with Power Bridge dual batteries, starting at $929. The ThinkPad L460 and L560 are value-priced desktop replacement laptops starting at $749. Business editions of Lenovo's Miix 700 2-in-1 tablet and Yoga 900 will come with TPM chips for security, but are physically similar to their consumer-based counterparts. The latter two will be available by special order, priced on a case-by-case basis. CES 2016 kicks off in Las Vegas this week, and PCMag will be there will all the news. Already, Lenovo has introduced new Chrome and Windows 10 systems, while Livestream is getting into the hardware market with its new Movi camera. The show floor doesn't open until Wednesday, but Tuesday is press conference day, when the top gadget makers in the world (minus Apple) will show off their 2016 lineups in conference rooms across Las Vegas. Before they take the stage, here's a brief overview of what you can expect from each product category. Click the link on each topic for more in-depth analysis. HDTVs: The HDTVs at CES will make 4K's place in the world of HDTVs clear, according to PCMag's Will Greenwald. Expect virtually every HDTV manufacturer in the industry to expand their 4K lines significantly, with choices ranging from wallet-friendly to big, expensive flagship models. 4K series will start to outnumber 1080p HDTV series, and that trend will only continue. Meanwhile, Ultra HD Blu-ray is finally moving past the theoretical stage, so look for 4K Blu-ray players and the physical media to go along with them. Streaming 4K content will also continue to expand, and we could see the first glimpses of consumer-available 4K broadcast content as well. Phones and Tablets: Phone makers usually reserve their big announcements for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, so don't expect a big blowout from Samsung in Vegas. Apple, meanwhile, never attends these big trade shows. That leaves a bunch of lower-key phone makers, and Windows PC vendors with Windows tablets, holding the floor for mobile at CES. HP, Lenovo, and Dell may be updating their Windows tablet lineups at the show, although we don't have any more specific details about any of those. Huawei and ZTE are both big global brands, but they've had some trouble penetrating U.S. consumers' minds. They'll try again at CES. Digital Cameras and Drones: The most intriguing camera-related story going into CES, according to PCMag's Jim Fisher, is about Samsung's place as a camera maker; a recent spate of rumors and news have left the future of the company's mirrorless NX line in question. Aside from that, pro photographers can usually ignore CES. But smaller, GoPro-style action cams will be plentiful at CES, as will drones. Wearables and Fitness Gadgets: Since there's a whole section of the show dedicated to wearables this year, expect every company, large and small, burgeoning and unknown, to display their wares. Google's Android Wear will likely forego any major updates since it just had one a few months ago, so any updates we'll see will likely be cosmetic. Fitbit, meanwhile, is holding the only wearables-dedicated press conference of the show. The news will undoubtedly be good, but it's uncertain whether it will be a brand-new device, like an upgrade to the Fitbit Charge HR, or some kind of software platform update. Smart Home: Though Apple won't have an official presence at CES, look for a number of home gadgets that connect with its HomeKit smart home protocol. PCMag's Tim Torres suggests we also be on the lookout for Bluetooth mesh networking, a new standard that will extend the distance for Bluetooth technology. We'll also probably see our fair share of robot vacuums, connected fridges, and bizarre gadgets. Cars: Autonomous driving will undoubtedly take center stage at CES, and rumors have been swirling that Ford and Google will announce a partnership at the show. But we do know that Kia will jump into the self-driving car fray for the first time, and Nevada DMV documents also reveal that Mercedes-Benz is planning to showcase autonomous E-Class models that will reportedly launch in 2017. But keep an eye on a mysterious car company known as Faraday Future, and let's see what Volkswagen has to say for itself during a Tuesday night keynote. Mark Zuckerberg wants to build a robot butler. Every year, the entrepreneur sets a personal goal, and in 2016 he wants to build a simple AI bot "to run my home and help me with my work." "You can think of it kind of like Jarvis in Iron Man," he wrote in a Facebook post(Opens in a new window). Zuckerberg is diving in by exploring current technology, like voice and facial recognition, data visualization, and automated nannying. "I'll start teaching it to understand my voice to control everything in our homemusic, lights, temperature and so on," Zuck said. "I'll teach it to let friends in by looking at their faces when they ring the doorbell. I'll teach it to let me know if anything is going on in Max's room that I need to check on when I'm not with her." And while Zuckerberg's New Year's resolutions routinely focus on non-Facebook projectsreading two books each month, learning Mandarin, meeting a new person every daythe AI project will have a business aspect. "It'll help me visualize data in VR to help me build better services and lead my organizations more effectively," he wrote. This year's theme of "invention" is not new to Zuckerberg. He has been working with engineers to build solar-powered planes and Internet-beaming satellites, virtual reality controllers and software, and a virtual personal assistant. "At Facebook I spend a lot of time working with engineers to build new things. Some of the most rewarding work involves getting deep into the details of technical projects," he said. "But it's a different kind of rewarding to build things yourself, so this year my personal challenge is to do that." In November, Facebook announced "new milestones" in long-term artificial intelligence research, including a state-of-the-art system that distinguishes between objects in a photo 30 percent faster and using 10 times less training data than previous industry benchmarks. When Microsoft began shipping its Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL last year, Windows Phone fans finally had the flagship phone they craved. But overseas buyers will actually be able to choose between premium phones, as Acer has formally announced the Liquid Jade Primo phone for Europe and other regions. In September, Acer took the wraps off what it then called the Jade Primo, revealing the new PC phone at a press conference at the IFA show in Berlin. At the time, Acer executives wouldnt say whether or not the phone would ship to the United Statesand it still wont. According to Acer, the Liquid Jade Primo will cost 569 euro ($618) when it begins shipping to Europe and the Middle East in February. It will be gradually rolled out to other regions, Acer added, without specifying what those regions will actually be. Acer also indicated that the price of the phone would vary by region. Acer The back of the Acer Liquid Jade Primo. Right between the Lumia 950 and 950XL Acer said in September that the phone would include a 5.5-inch super AMOLED display on the front, alongside a pair of impressive cameras: 21 megapixels, with dual flashes on the back; with a front-facing 8MP camera as well. Inside, Acer said then, will be a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chip. Acer now adds that the Liquid Jade Primo will include 3 GB of RAM as well as 32 GB of internal storage, and that the display is Full HD, or 1080p, and backed by a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass screen. (Acer didnt mention an SD card option or removeable battery.) The phone will connect via LTE Category 6 as well as 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi. The rear-facing f/2.2 camera will be capable of 4K video recording, while the front-facing f/2.2 wide angle camera can record up to 1080p. That display size puts the Liquid Jade Primo squarely in the middle of Microsofts own flagships, the $549 5.2-inch Lumia 950 and the $649 5.7-inch Lumia 950XL. Like the Liquid Jade Primo, the Lumia 950 includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, while the the XL uses a Snapdragon 810. Both of Microsofts phones, however, boast a 2,560 x 1,440 (quad HD) display. Acer also made clear that the new phone will work with the Display Dock that allows Microsofts two new Lumia phones to be connected to an external display and resize their output accordingly, also known as Continuum. They will be charged and connect to the Display Dock via a USB-C connector. Hardware isnt the problem with Windows Phone Besides the Windows Hello capability built into Microsofts Lumia phones, the latest Windows Phone hardware hasnt proven to be much of an issue, with the Lumia 950. Microsofts Windows 10 Mobile operating system and apps, however, included several bugs at launch, which Microsoft has been busy fixing with software patches and with a new firmware update for the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL that began rolling out overseas just before Christmas. It remains to be seen how the Liquid Jade Primo will measure up in that department. The fact that third-party companies continue to support Windows Phone, however, should be an obvious relief for Microsoft. HTC shipped a Windows Phone version of the M8 in 2014, a program that was supposed to usher in a wave of Android phones offering Windows variants. That didnt happen. Overseas buyers continue to support Windows Phone more than domestic buyers, however, which explains why Acer is launching its new phone in EMEA first. In the U.K., for example, Windows Phones market share was about 7.6 percent in the first quarter of 2015 according to Canalys, while WPs share languishes under 3 percent in the United States, comScore reports. For Acer, overseas Windows Phone customers will get priority. Microsoft said Monday morning that over 200 million devices per month are running Windows 10, adding that its new operating system is on its fastest growth trajectory of any OS its ever shipped. Third-party firms had claimed that Microsofts Windows 10 powered about 165 million PCs or 10 percent of the market by the end of 2015, slightly less than Microsofts own tallies. Microsoft said Monday that Windows 10s growth outpaced Windows 8 by nearly 400 percentas well as the earlier, much loved Windows 7 by 140 percent. We continue to be excited and humbled by the incredible response to Windows 10, Yusuf Mehdi, the corporate vice president responsible for Windows and Windows devices, wrote in a blog post in advance of the CES show in Las Vegas. Microsoft isnt expected to make any major announcements at CES, although many of its partners will show Windows 10 PCs. We are even more excited that these customers are loving Windows 10, Mehdi added. Overall, we are seeing significantly higher customer satisfaction with Windows 10 than any prior version of Windows. Little love for Edge Microsofts new OS allows it to gather some anonymized data on its users, including the amount of time that customers have used Windows 10. Microsoft said that in December, customers had spent over 11 billion hours with Windows 10, along with 44.5 billion minutes (742 million hours) with Microsoft Edge. (That means that customers spent about 7 percent of their time with Microsoft Edge.) Customers have asked Cortana over 2.5 billion questions since the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft said. Microsoft also said that customers had asked 30 percent more queries of Bing per Windows 10 device versus prior versions of Windowsnot that surprising, as Bing is the default search engine for Cortana and Edge. Over 82 billion photos have been viewed using the Photos app, Microsoft added, and gamers spent 4 billion hours playing PC gamesstreaming 6.6 million hours of Xbox One games to the PC, to boot. In fact, Microsoft claimed that 2015 was the best year in Xboxs history, in terms of engagement and overall sales. Microsoft also said that it saw a twofold increase in paid app sales from PC and tablet customers. In December, Windows 10 generated more than a 4.5X increase in revenue per device, it added, compared to Windows 8. Microsoft didnt release actual numbers, however, nor go into any detail about how it compared Windows 8 versus Windows 10 app sales. Still, the fact that its actually generating app revenue is noteworthy. Rob Schultz The Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950XL apparently sold out, according to Microsoft. More Surface Books overseas Microsoft also added a few tidbits of device news: the Surface Book will be available for pre-order Tuesday in Austria, Australia, the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, and New Zealand, with Japan and India added soon. Microsoft also claimed that initial demand had outstripped the supply of its Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL phones, and it was working to increase shipments. The Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition is coming soon, Microsoft said. Besides the 200 million devices Microsoft now says are running Windows 10, Microsoft didnt release any raw numbers that could explain how Windows 10 is really doing. Microsoft also released one factoid thats a bit confusingmore than 40 percent of new Windows 10 devices were activated since Black Friday, implying that the majority werent activated? (Microsoft has so far declined to comment further.) But theres enough circumstantial evidencethe growth trajectory, the number of devices, to accept that Windows 10 got off to a fast start. Whether it can continue its pace is the next question. The 2016 presidential election has defied all expectations so far. An enormous field of GOP candidates, still a dozen strong with a month to go before the leadoff Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1. The billionaire outsider who has tapped into the anger and fears of a nervous nation. A son and brother of presidents who is struggling to connect with voters despite his tremendous financial advantage. In less than a month, voters will begin having their say in what could turn out to be a bitter, months-long fight for the Republican nomination. On the Democratic side, front-runner Hillary Clinton is banking on neatly locking up the nomination as her GOP rivals tear each other down. Some things to watch for in the four-week sprint to the Iowa caucuses: DONALD TRUMPS CHECKBOOK To date, wealthy businessman Donald Trump has run a frugal campaign, skipping expensive television advertising as his Republican rivals and their affiliated super political action committees spend tens of millions of dollars on air time. Trump has promised that thats about to change, announcing plans last week to spend $2 million a week on the air in three early voting states. Will Trump follow through on that promise? Television ad prices are only increasing as the voting draws closer, and Trump has yet to reserve any airtime. CRUZS CLERGY Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is building a large organization of support in Iowa, amassing county leaders across the state and tapping a member of the clergy in each of the 99 counties. The son of a preacher, Cruz aims to take a well-worn path to victory in Iowa: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008 and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in 2012 generated similar support among the states evangelical voters, and each won the caucuses. The question is whether that network of religious conservatives will coalesce behind Cruz this time or splinter. Cruz has made strides, picking up the endorsements of Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats and Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. ESTABLISHMENT CHOICES Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who entered the race in June as the front-runner, jokes that his father, former President George H.W. Bush, has taken to throwing shoes at his television set in response to Trump. But as the caucuses near, the laugh lines have given way to persistent frustration among party elders and its professional class that Trump remains a viable candidate. Several have said an effort must be mounted to take down Trump, but a coordinated campaign of negative ads has so far failed to materialize. Thats due in part to concerns that it could backfire and further motivate Trumps supporters, but also because several candidates vying to be the establishment choice are still in the race. Will there be an attempt to undermine Trump? Will Bush or Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Gov. John Kasich or New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie emerge as the clear alternative to Trump before Trump or Cruz collects too many delegates for that to matter? DEPARTURE LOUNGE Two low-polling Republicans quit in December: South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and former New York Gov. George Pataki. While all the remaining candidates insist theyre not going anywhere, pressure could grow on other candidates to bow out and narrow the field. Among those feeling the heat: Santorum, who has failed to produce the kind of excitement that propelled him to that Iowa victory four years ago. If he and others at the bottom dropped out and endorsed the same candidate, it could give rise to the Trump alternative for which some are desperate. CLINTONS TEST A third-place finish in 2008 in Iowa completely disrupted Clintons strategy to win the Democratic nomination and she never could catch then-Sen. Barack Obama. This time, Clinton has poured significant resources and staff into the state. Polls show her with an edge over her chief rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent. If Clinton wins Iowa, a loss in New Hampshire to Sanders would be easier to contain. Back-to-back losses in Iowa and New Hampshire would generate fresh worries among Democrats about their front-runner. JANUARY SURPRISES The attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, shifted voters focus to national security issues. That was to the detriment of less experienced and less hawkish candidates, including retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson on the GOP side and Sanders. Another attack, especially on American soil, could further diminish candidates without experience in office or those uncomfortable with a campaign focus on foreign policy. FINAL DEBATES The Republicans have two more debates Jan. 14 in South Carolina and Jan. 28 in Iowa before the Feb. 1 caucuses. Democrats will debate Jan. 17, also in South Carolina. The GOP debates in 2015 broke viewership records, and the next two probably may provide make-or-break moments as undecided voters begin making up their minds. San Bernardino County employees took time off work Monday, Jan. 4, to fill an arena and honor their colleagues who were killed or injured in the Dec. 2 mass shooting. The 2 p.m. ceremony at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario featured a religious speech from Pastor Rick Warren, of Saddleback Church in Orange County, pondering how to grapple with such a tragegy. It also saw former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who led the city during 9/11 and its aftermath, deliver defiant remarks against terrorism. Come to San Bernardino and spend money and tell the terrorists screw you,' he said to loud applause. You cant beat us. Were stronger than you are. Giuliani got a standing ovation after his speech. MORE: All the latest developments related to the San Bernardino shooting As for Warren, he posed a tough question that was likely on the minds of many. How do you find the strength to go on? What do you do when your heart has been broken in a thousand pieces? The grieving process will take time, he said. You dont get over it, he said. You get through it. Warren told the crowd, You need to feel your feelings and let it out. He talked about how he and his wife overcame grief when their youngest son took his own life. You need to release your grief let it come out, he said. Grief is a good thing, he said. Grief is a tool God has given us to get through the transitions of life. Its healthy. Never tell someone you know how it feels, he said. There is only one appropriate response for grief. Im sorry for your loss, he said. Its important to receive help from others, he said, and not to feel bad about what happened. Bitterness will eat you alive. You cant hold onto hurt, said Warren, who launched what became one of the nations largest megachurches and now includes 10 Southern California campuses. Warren called the shooting evil and quoted a Bible verse about how God will lead mourners through the valley of the shadow of death. What do you do when you are going through hell? You walk on, he said. Then Giuliani spoke, telling the audience he felt sympathy and empathy for them and offered prayers and condolences. He was mayor when terrorist hijackers slammed planes into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2011. I know what youre going through, he said. I lost so many of my fellow citizens and 10 of my closest friends. You can make us mourn, you can make us cry. Theres one thing you cant do. You cant break our spirit, Giuliani said to loud applause. He urged the crowd to tell people to visit San Bernardino as a strike against the attackers. Fight back. Make something good come out of this, said Giuliani, who also told them not to blame Muslims for the tragedy. Of the shooters, he said: They cannot beat us. This is psychological warfare, he said. They want you to be afraid. Come to San Bernardino and spend money and tell the terrorists screw you,' he said to loud applause. You cant beat us. Were stronger than you are. Let this become a turning point for San Bernardino, Giuliani said. You got the whole country behind you. This is a long war with a very sick and determined adversary, he said. There will be more terrorist attacks. People around the world are planning to kill us. We have to stand together, he said. The crowd gave Giuliani a standing ovation after his speech. Next up was San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford. She told employees We have to be careful not to spread sorrow. Find the good things (in life) and spread good cheer. She applauded county workers for their courage, bravery, compassion, dignity and grace in facing the tragedy. In the worst moments, the best of our characters come out, she said. As employees took their seats for the 2 p.m. service, instrumental music played in the background. An image of a desert landscape and mountains appeared on a large screen behind the stage with the words: Remember, Honor and Support. Thousands of county employees were expected at the ceremony, which was attended by Gov. Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Kamala Harris. Giuliani waived his usual speaking fee for the event, county spokesman David Wert said. Giuliani typically makes between $100,000 to $300,000 per speech, according to articles in the New York Times, Huffington Post and Washington Post. San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman James Ramos welcomed the audience of San Bernardino County employees to the private memorial service. The tragedy has brought together workers who have shown resilience despite the loss of their colleagues and friends, he said. As a county we will never forget Dec, 2, 2015, Ramos said. The events of that day could have torn us asunder but they have driven us closer together to fulfill our mission of public service. Outside the arena before the event, security was tight. A sheriffs deputy cruised the aisles of the parking lot in an SUV and a command trailer was positioned in sight of the arenas entrance. Kristin Stevens, who works for the San Bernardino County library system, said the mood at work has been solemn, but employees are supportive of each other and have an attitude of perseverance through difficult time. Over the long term, Stevens said, she expects residents and county employees to have maybe a greater sense of community and the necessity to be aware and to support one another. Beryl Holman, who works in the countys preschool services department, said some county employees have been on edge since the shooting. The office has been not a happy place, she said. Everybodys been pulling together, but I also know a couple people that were scared to come (to the memorial). Holman said the attack didnt make her feel significantly less safe at work. My opinion is it could have happened anywhere, she said. For Lorraine Aguirre, a victim advocate in the San Bernardino County District Attorneys Office, said the shooting and the aftermath hit really close to home. Her office has been helping shooting victims and their families. She and her co-workers have been so busy in recent weeks that there hasnt been time to process their emotions. What happened still seems surreal, she said. I think once everything has kind of calmed down, it will affect people even more, Aguirre said. She used to think the multiple layers of safety precautions her office already takes were excessive, but she no longer feels that way. Aguirre said shes noticed her fellow employees seem more fearful, even if its below the surface. Theres an awareness that any day, any time, something like (the attack) can happen. But Aguirre and other employees said the memorial event is an important opportunity for them to show their support for each other and try to begin healing. The man suspected of shooting two of his deceased wifes family members before turning the gun on himself in an Ontario cemetery on Saturday, Jan. 2, left a four-page suicide note and made arrangements before the shooting occurred, police say. Karapet Kalajian, 71, was sitting in his car near the Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetery about 3 p.m. before he walked up and shot 60-year-old Misak Minasyan and 59-year-old Hripsime Minasyan as they approached the cemetery. Police say Kalajians wife is buried in that cemetery and it was the day before the fifth anniversary of his wifes death. Ontario police Sgt. Jeff Higbee said on Monday that Kalajian had recently made burial arrangements for himself and had begun to dissipate his own belongings. His cars title, for example, had been transferred to someone else, Higbee said. Kalajians suicide note was found as officers were executing a search warrant at Kalajians home on the night of the shooting, Higbee said. It was written in Armenian and officers were still working to translate it Monday. igbee said officers didnt know Monday what motivated the shooting or how long Kalajian had been planning the attack. The Minasyans, both from North Hollywood according to a release from the Ontario Police Department, were the brother-in-law and sister of Kalajians wife. Kalajians wife suffered a long battle with cancer before her death. Kalajian struggled after losing his wife and was estranged from the family for over a year, the release said. Author: Richard Edwards. Title: Natives of a Dry Place -- Stories of Dakota Before the Oil Boom. Publisher: South Dakota historical Press, 2015. 180 pages of text, 18 pp. of source and index. Richard Edwards was born in Stanley, N.D., in 1944, the youngest child of his parents, Roy and Winnie Edwards. In 1956, his family moved out of state. Edwards received a PhD in economics from Harvard and taught at Exeter and the University of Nebraska. He is the author of several histories. Natives of a Dry Place is about what Edwards calls Old Stanley which he has nicely captured through interviews with his family and others with memories of Stanley mostly before 1956. I enjoyed his Chapters 1 through 8 book-ended between his introduction and afterword. The first six chapters and part of the Introduction are very interesting glimpses of Stanleys history reflected in stories of its early citizens. The story of his uncle Carol Swede Edwards being lowered into an abandoned well to recover the body of a young father who had fallen in while collecting scrapes of wood in October 1923 shows how hard life could be and the resoluteness of the community in finding and recovering his body from more than 130 feet below the surface. Edwards writes lovingly of his father Roy and his struggles to build a life for his family in Old Stanley, working most of his career as a rural letter carrier while pitching in as a community stalwart. Several of his stories feature remarkable people such as Dr. M.G. Flath, a physician who traveled the county delivering babies for modest payments -- or no payment at all. His wife, Isabel Flath, was a church choir director, Sunday school teacher and cultural leader of the community, and his brother, Dr. G.O. Flath, was a dentist. They faithfully served Stanley throughout their lives. His older sisters found jobs as welders in the Kaiser shipyard in Portland, Ore., during World War II. Arne and Irene Springan, childhood and high school sweethearts who married others, found themselves still in love with each other when they married in 1968. These first six chapters will bring back memories to people who grew up in Stanley, and those of us who grew up all across North Dakota, even those of us who grew up in the big city of Minot. I remember in the late 1950s when my dad found an old bill for the delivery of my sister that he couldnt pay at the time and the nice note he received from the doctor when he paid him all those years later. Like the patients of Dr. G.O. Flath, I too had cavities filled without Novocain. Lets save your dad some money, was what my dentist said. I enjoyed reading about Arne and Irene Springan as I met Irene when I was a law clerk for the Supreme Court in 1970 and Irene was the legal secretary for Chief Justice Obert Teigen. Arne and Irene were a great couple. I have known people who were meant for each other, but who were not around when one person was ready for a committed relationship. These six chapters alone are very worthwhile reading. In Chapter 7 Edwards writes of bringing his 11- and 8-year-old sons to North Dakota in 1990 to canoe the Missouri River from Garrison Dam to Bismarck. They didnt make it due to a violent storm and adverse winds. Those of us who have canoed the Missouri River know the good days are great and the bad days paddling into the wind are horrible. My problem with this book is that Edwards Introduction and afterword are simply too negative for me. The oil boom for him has essentially wrecked Old Stanley and changed it for the worst forever. In the introduction he does write a good brief history of Mountrail County and Stanley being settled, but his emphasis in 2015 is on all that is bad about the changes oil development has brought. I particularly think it is poor scholarship to repeat a reporters slap at a friend of mine as being the biggest crook in Mountrail County without bothering to try to dig into such libel. Later in the book he takes a swipe at Banker Nelson. Certainly there are good and bad as well as winners and losers in all communities, but a little balance is appropriate with an acknowledgement that winners and losers are often set apart by a willingness to take risks. Edwards acknowledges that change is the essence of life, but I dont think hes nostalgic about Old Stanley. If he was it seems he would have shown it to his sons in 1990 when they came to North Dakota for a canoeing adventure, but Im certain he knew even then his Old Stanley was already gone. Mountrail Countys population peaked in 1930 at 13,544. It was down to 9,418 in 1950 and 6,631 in 2000. Today its almost up to 10,000. Edwards describes the cause of death of towns, those larger forces that erode the uniqueness of small places everywhere: the loss of local civic connections because of television and the Internet, the rise of hyper-individualism, increasing exposure to mass-market culture, and a growing national culture that divides us into celebrities and nobodies." Sure the oil boom has brought challenges, but it has also brought opportunities and new life. (Robert O. Bob Wefald is a retired North Dakota State District Court judge, who served for 12 years. He was attorney general from 1981 to 1984. Wefald served on active duty as a naval officer from 1964 to 1967 followed by 24 years in the Naval Reserve, retiring in 1991.) President Barack Obama is slated Monday to finalize a set of new executive actions tightening the nations gun laws, making his first order of business in 2016 a clear signal the president in his final year doesnt intend to go quietly. At a meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, FBI Director James Comey and other top law enforcement officials Obama is expected to sign off on a package of proposals aimed at curbing gun violence and cracking down on unregulated gun sales. At the top of the list is an effort to expand background checks on gun sales by forcing more sellers to register as federally licensed gun dealers. The changes would be aimed at some unregistered sellers who skirt the background check laws by selling at gun shows, online or informal settings. Other moves being considered include improving reporting of lost and stolen weapons and beefing up inspections of licensed dealers, according to a person familiar with the plans who would not be named discussing proposals before they are finalized. The package includes measures this White House has long considered but not completed, mindful of the legal fight sure to follow as well as the potential for political backlash for some fellow Democrats. But after a steady string of mass shootings including the San Bernardino terror attack and with the clock on his tenure ticking down, Obama appears primed to push further than he has in the past. We definitely think there are things he can do, said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which advocates for expanding background checks. Gross says his recent conversations with White House aides have left him hopeful. Its very clear that the White House is feeling emboldened, he said. Even before the presidents formal announcement, Republicans were registering their opposition. The president is at minimum subverting the legislative branch, and potentially overturning its will, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said in a statement. Obama announced the meeting with Lynch in his weekly address from his Hawaii holiday vacation. On Thursday, hell take his argument to prime time, participating in a town hall discussion of gun violence on CNN. Hes slated to make his case for changes in his State of the Union address on Jan. 12. The high-profile rollout reflects a White House continuing to look for ways to wrap up unfinished business, despite an uncooperative Congress. After all but ignoring the issue in his first term, Obama changed course after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in December 2012. Nevertheless, the president failed to push a package of gun measures through Congress, including one expanding background checks. At the same time, Obama took nearly two dozen executive actions to tighten gun laws, but left a major expansion of background checks out of the mix. But after the shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon in October, a weary and angry Obama ordered his staff to redouble the effort to look for ways to work around Congress. Under current law, federally licensed firearms dealers are required to seek background checks on potential firearm purchasers. But advocacy groups say many sellers are currently exempt from having to register, increasing the chance of sales to customers prohibited by law from purchasing a gun. The administration is expected to reclassify some of those dealers using a mix of criteria, such as the number and frequency of guns sold, whether sellers profit off sales, whether they advertise, rent space or tables at gun shows and pay taxes. White House officials have not yet disclosed the details of the proposal. Obamas plans immediately set off a political debate on the presidential campaign trail, both over the policy and whether the president has the authority to make it. Democrat Hillary Clinton, who has already proposed an executive action to close the gun show loophole, cheered Obamas plans. I am absolutely convinced we can have gun safety measures consistent with the Constitution, she said during a presidential campaign event in Concord, New Hampshire. I will take on that fight. Im very hopeful and excited that the president is going to take some action with executive action in the next week or two but if its a Republican who walks into the White House within the first day, the executive orders will be reversed. Rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, told ABCs This Week he wished Congress could find consensus but added the move was the right thing to do. Republicans candidates rejected the proposals, including those who have backed some gun control measures in the past. This president is a petulant child, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Sunday on Fox News Sunday. The fact is if he wants to make changes to these laws, go to Congress and convince the Congress that theyre necessary. But this is going to be another illegal executive action which Im sure will be rejected by the courts. I dont like changing anything, Donald Trump said on CBS Face the Nation. Right now, they have plenty of rules and regulations. A 21-year-old man was shot to death Sunday morning. Jan. 3, in San Bernardino. Rayshawn Sandy, of San Bernardino, was transported to a local hospital via private party after the shooting occurred about 9 a.m. in the 1400 block of North Sepulveda Boulevard, according to a San Bernardino Police Department news release. The news release, which was issued Monday morning, contained limited information about the shooting. Its unclear if a suspect is in custody. This story is developing. Check back for more information. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Allies of Saudi Arabia followed the kingdoms lead and began scaling back diplomatic ties to Iran on Monday after the ransacking of Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, violence sparked by the Saudi execution of a prominent opposition Shiite cleric. Sudan and the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain said they would sever ties with Iran, as Saudi Arabia did late Sunday. Within hours, the United Arab Emirates announced it would downgrade ties to Tehran to the level of the charge daffaires and would only focus on economic issues. Somalia also issued a statement criticizing Iran. The execution Saturday of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others convicted of terror charges the largest mass execution carried out by Saudi Arabia since 1980 laid bare the sectarian divisions gripping the region. Shiite protesters took to the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan, while Arab allies of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia lined up behind the kingdom. The escalating tensions between the two longtime regional rivals looks to further imperil efforts to end the wars in Syria and Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and Iran back rival sides. Al-Nimr was a central figure in the Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabias Shiite minority until his arrest in 2012. He was convicted of terrorism charges but denied advocating violence. Bahrains Sunni monarchy, which quashed mass protests by the Shiite majority in 2011 with the help of Saudi and Emirati forces, enjoys particularly close relations with Saudi Arabia, and shares Riyadhs view that Shiite Iran is intent on destabilizing the region through its various proxies. Bahraini officials have accused Iran of training militants and attempting to smuggle arms into the country, which hosts the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. In October, Bahrain ordered the acting Iranian charge daffaires to leave within 72 hours and recalled its own ambassador after alleging Iran sponsored subversion and terrorism and funneled arms to militants. Sudans Foreign Ministry announced an immediate severing of ties over the diplomatic mission attacks. The statement carried by its state-run news agency said it made the decision in solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of Iranian schemes. The UAE, a country of seven emirates, has a long trading history with Iran and is home to many ethnic Iranians. It said it would reduce the number of diplomats in Iran and would recall its ambassador in the light of Irans continuous interference in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels. Somalia also criticized the attack on Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran as a flagrant violation of international law. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the cut in relations late Sunday and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home. The move could affect the annual hajj pilgrimage. Lawmaker Mohammad Ali Esfanani, spokesman of the Judicial and Legal Committee of the Iranian parliament, said security issues and the fact that Iranian pilgrims wouldnt have consular protection inside the kingdom made halting the pilgrimage likely, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran have yet to make any formal announcement about how the diplomatic spat would affect the hajj, a pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life. The hajj this year likely will begin in early September, though Muslims travel to the holy sites all year long. When Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran from 1988 to 1991, Iran stopped its pilgrims from attending the hajj. With Saudi diplomatic missions closed in Iran, it will make it difficult for Iranians to get visas for the hajj. World powers have sought to calm the tensions. Germany called on both sides to mend ties, with government spokesman Steffen Seibert telling reporters that relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran are of fundamental importance for solving the crises in Syria and Yemen, and for the stability of the entire region. A Russian state news agency on Monday quoting an unnamed senior diplomat as saying Moscow is ready to act as a mediator in the escalating conflict. RIA Novosti did not say whether Moscow had made the mediation proposal to either side. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the Obama administration believes diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences. We will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions, Kirby said. Earlier Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by phone and urged Tehran to defuse the tensions and protect the Saudi diplomats, according to a statement. The disruption in relations may have implications for peace efforts in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and others spent significant time trying to bring the countries to the negotiating table and they both sat together at talks aimed at ending the civil war. Last month, Saudi Arabia convened a meeting of Syrian opposition figures that was designed to create a delegation to attend peace talks with the Syrian government that are supposed to begin in mid-January. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Saudi Arabia supports the rebels trying to overthrow him. Meanwhile, al-Nimrs family is holding three days of mourning at a mosque in al-Awamiya village in the kingdoms al-Qatif region in predominantly Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia. The sheikhs brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, told The Associated Press that Saudi officials informed his family that the cleric had been buried in an undisclosed cemetery. Early Monday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said a shooting targeting security forces in the village killed a man and wounded a child. It offered no motive for the attack, nor for another it said saw a mob beat and briefly kidnap a man driving through the area. BURNS, Ore. (AP) An armed anti-government group took over a remote national wildlife refuge in Oregon as part of a decades-long fight over public lands in the West, while federal authorities are keeping watch but keeping their distance. The group came to the frozen high desert of eastern Oregon to contest the prison sentences of two ranchers who set fire to federal land, but their ultimate goal is to turn over the property to local authorities so people can use it free of U.S. oversight. People across the globe have marveled that federal authorities didnt move to take back the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Residents say they have not seen a large presence of officers, and the governments tactic generally is to monitor protesters from afar but leave them be as long as they dont show signs of violence. Thats how federal officials defused a high-profile 2014 standoff with Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy over grazing rights. Now, Bundys two sons are leading the push in Oregon. Ryan Bundy told The Associated Press on Sunday that he hopes the takeover will prompt others to take action across the country to seize control of federally managed land. The end goal here is that we are here to restore the rights to the people here so that they can use the land and resources. All of them, Bundy said. That means ranchers can graze their cattle, miners can use their mineral rights, loggers can cut trees, and hunters and fishers can shoot and cast, he said. The latest dispute traces its roots to the 1970s and the Sagebrush Rebellion, a move by Western states like Nevada to increase local control over federal land. While ranchers and others complain of onerous federal rules, critics of the push for more local control have said the federal government should administer the public lands for the widest possible uses, including environmental and recreation. Residents of the tiny town of Burns, 30 miles south of the wildlife refuge, are concerned about the potential for violence. Keith Landon, a longtime resident and employee at the Reid Country Store, said he knows local law enforcement officials who fear their kids will be targeted by the group. Im hoping most of its just muscle, trying to push, he said. But its a scary thing. If the situation turns violent, Bundy contends that it will be because of the federal governments actions. I mean, were here to restore order, were here to restore rights, and that can go peacefully and easily, he said. The ranchers whose cause has been the rallying cry also reject the groups support. Dwight and son Steven Hammond were convicted of arson three years ago for fires on federal land in 2001 and 2006. They served their original sentences Dwight, three months and Steven, one year but a judge ruled that the terms were too short under federal minimum sentencing laws. Both men were ordered back to prison for four years each. They have said they plan to turn themselves in Monday. The Bundy brothers say the group plans to stay at the refuge as long as it takes. They declined to say how many people were at the property where several pickup trucks blocked the entrance and armed men wore camouflage and winter gear. Were planning on staying here for years, absolutely, Ammon Bundy told reporters over the weekend. This is not a decision weve made at the last minute. The FBI is working with local and state authorities to bring a peaceful resolution to the situation, the bureau said in a statement late Sunday. It said it is the agency in charge and would not release details about the law enforcement response to ensure the safety of officers and those at the refuge. Some are criticizing the lack of action, saying it is because those occupying the property are white. Landon, the longtime Burns resident, said he sympathizes with the Bundys frustrations. Landon was a logger until the federal government declared the spotted owl a protected species in the 1980s, damaging the local logging industry. Its hard to discredit what theyre trying to do out there. But I dont want anybody hurt, he said. Landon said that on the surface, it doesnt look like much has changed in Burns, a high desert town of about 2,700 people. Its weird I woke up this morning expecting the town to be crawling with this and that agency. But you dont see any of it. Theyre keeping a low presence, Landon said Sunday. However, most of the hotels in the area are booked, and hes noticed that officers are doing their patrols in pairs instead of alone. The biggest difference since the takeover is the undercurrent of worry, he said. Im glad they took the refuge because its 30 miles away, Landon said. I mean, they could have took the courthouse here in town. PennLive beer brackets - Federal Taphouse The Federal Taphouse at 234 N. Second St. in Harrisburg will host a Beer & Bacon Bash. File photo, Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com What's better than bacon paired with craft beer? For the third year, the Federal Taphouse in Harrisburg is hosting a Beer & Bacon Bash. The event will take place Jan. 9 upstairs at the Taphouse at 234 N. Second St. in Harrisburg. To meet growing demand, two sessions will be held this year from 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Beer from eight craft breweries will be paired with bacon dishes created by Taphouse executive chef David Clarke. Taste such dishes as a Rosemary Smoked Lamb Bacon with Pecorino Croquettes to a Chocolate and Bacon Ice Cream dibs rolled with Crystalized Bacon or Hop Dusted Chicharrones. "Everyone loves bacon and there's not a better complement to bacon than beer," said Judd Goodman, owner of the Taphouse. Brewery representatives will be on hand to assist with the pairings. Participating breweries include: Troegs Independent Brewing in Hershey; Victory Brewing in Parkersburg; Founders Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Evil Genius Beer Company in West Grove, Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City Missouri; Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland Ohio, Free Will Brewing in Perkasie and Evolution Craft Brewing Company in Salisbury, Maryland. Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased at Federaltaphouse.com. Proceeds benefit the Central PA Food Bank. Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com There's no shortage of restaurant openings in the Harrisburg region planned for 2016. Here's a list of some of the up and coming openings to watch out in the early part of the year. Don't Edit Sue Gleiter| sgleiter@pennlive.com Soul Burrito This locally owned burrito chain is on the move. In February 2016, its owners Obi and Nicole Linton will open their second full-service restaurant.The couple has signed a lease at the Dauphin Plaza at 3830 Union Deposit Road in Susquehanna Township. It's in the same complex as Waffle House and TGI Fridays Restaurant. The Lintons started with a mobile food truck followed by a stand at the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. In the summer of 2015, they opened a Soul Burrito restaurant at 405 Walnut St. in Harrisburg. The new restaurant will serve the same Soul Burrito core burrito menu of favorites such as the Greedy, Big Beef and Tree Hugger as well as tacos, rice bowls, salads and signature Mac Attack, macaroni and cheese. The restaurant will be open six days a week and closed on Sundays. Don't Edit File photo, Dan Gleiter, dgleiter@pennlive.com Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive Cork & Fork Restaurateur Nick Laus aims to bring his Cork & Fork restaurant to the west shore. If all goes according to plan, Laus will open the restaurant at 4444 Carlisle Pike at the former Sun Motor Cars in Hampden Township. He has the support of the Hampden Township commissioners who have passed a resolution supporting his search for an available liquor license to transfer to the new location. The original Cork & Fork opened off of North Second Street in 2014 in Harrisburg and has become a popular destination for its artisan pizzas, cocktails and lively vibe. "For a number of years, people have asked me to come to the West Shore," Laus said in November. "There have been a number of chain restaurantsthey'd like to see something different." Don't Edit Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com V Nearly six years after residents voted on a measure that reversed the town's dry status, Vrai will be the first restaurant in Lemoyne to serve liquor. It is projected to open in early 2016 at 1015 Market St. in a former Verizon store. Its owners Mike and Shelly Page have received pre-approval from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for a restaurant liquor license they acquired from the former Coakley's Restaurant & Irish Pub in New Cumberland. The food and wine-focused restaurant will emphasize wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas, entrees and salads. Vrai will serve signature cocktails, craft beer and a wide selection of wines stretching from Pennsylvania and Maryland varieties to a short list of highly rated "collector type" wines. Don't Edit File photo by Dan Gleiter, dgleiter@pennlive.com Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com Burger Yum In spring 2016, Burger Yum is due to open at the former Buddha Buddha off of North Second Street in Harrisburg. Previously, the space had housed Zephyr, Mars and Egypt. Nick Laus, who started such concepts as Cafe Fresco and Home 231, is the brains behind the Shake Shack style concept. The 30-seat restaurant will specialize in burgers, hot dogs and milkshakes. Of course, wine and beer will be served. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo provided by Waxman Photography Sue Gleiter| sgleiter@pennlive.com Greystone Public House Lots of questions arose when Mount Hill Tavern in Lower Paxton Township closed in the summer of 2015. Who would take over the landmark property? A familiar chef in the Harrisburg region will co-partner a new restaurant. Jason Viscount, who worked as executive chef at Bricco in Harrisburg for nine years, will open Greystone Public House with John G. Frisch, owner of Higher Information Group in Harrisburg. The restaurant is expected to open in February. The menu will cover everything from burgers and sandwiches to entrees. There also will be a bar menu. Don't Edit Sue Gleiter, pennlive.com Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com Chick-fil-A When will the Chick-fil-A in Swatara Township open? That has been the question for more than a year since the chain announced in 2014 it would build a restaurant off of Lindle Road in the parking lot of Wolf Furniture. According to a Facebook post, the restaurant will open in February. Good news for those craving the chicken sandwiches and milkshakes. Don't Edit Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com Boneshire Brew Works This newcomer doesn't exactly fit under the new restaurant category but we've added it to the list, simply because owner Alan Miller plans to have a tasting room at the new brewery when it opens this spring. Boneshire is a spinoff of the dissolved Millbock Brewing Co. of which Miller was a partner. His latest project will open in a shopping center at 7462 Derry St. in Swatara Township. Boneshire will produce about 700 barrels of beer in the first year, emphasizing multiple styles such as IPAs, stouts, wheat beers and Belgian beers, Miller said. Don't Edit Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com Looking for more food news? We've got you covered. Check out Pennlive.com/food for more stories including PennLive restaurant critic Mimi Brodeur's top 10 restaurants of 2015. Lee Thomas Pottle.png Lee Thomas Pottle (crime stoppers) Authorities believe a man wanted by Nevada authorities for allegedly raping a child there may have fled to Lancaster County. Lee Thomas Pottle, 45, was charged with sexual assault of a child and sexual seduction of a child in July of 2014. He was later released, with bail reportedly set at $70,000. He is believed to have then fled to Lancaster County, although the exact city, township or borough has not been determined. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office in Reno, NV reportedly received information that Pottle had fled Nevada and may be staying somewhere in Lancaster County, Pa., although the nature of that information was not immediately clear. Anyone with additional information on Pottle's whereabouts is asked to contact Police at (717) 664-1180 or Lancaster Crime Stoppers at (800) 322-1913. Tips can also be sent to Crime Stoppers by texting LANCS plus the tip to 847411. Callers may remain anonymous. Pottle is described as 5-feet-7 inches tall, 181 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. An unspecified cash reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Pottle. The age of Pottle's alleged victim was not released by authorities, nor were details of the alleged crime. Pottle was featured in Nevada law enforcement attempts to use social media to track down fugitives like him, KOLOTV.com reported in November of 2014. UPDATE: This article has been updated to include Nevada media coverage of law enforcement attempts to track fugitives like Pottle on social media in November of 2014. The article was also updated to include Pottle's bail amount. Results of an independent investigation of the North Dakota Department of Transportations Motor Vehicle Division office will be sent to the DOT within a few weeks, the head of the agency conducting the investigation says. North Dakota Human Resources Management Services Director Ken Purdy said staff interviews began in October and were recently completed. The reports being prepared. Then it will be sent to legal for review (and) then given to the agency, Purdy said. How long the HMRS legal division takes to review such reports can vary depending on the complexity and length of the report. Its as short as a few days and as long as a couple weeks, Purdy said. The report will be in the DOTs hands sometime this month. A DOT spokeswoman said the agency will review and determine what the next steps are after the report is received from HMRS. The DOT declined further comment saying it doesnt discuss active investigations. The investigation began in late September, stemming from a dispute between an employee and supervisor earlier in the year in which the employee was fired and later offered a new position after twice appealing her termination. The investigation is centered on the work environment in the motor vehicle division, which former employees have previously described to the Tribune as being stressful and, at times, hostile. Purdy met with DOT leadership to discuss the sequence of events from the DOTs internal investigation regarding the employee and supervisor before proceeding. The original incident involved a licensing specialist and one of her supervisors. The relationship between the two soured over a period of months in relation to work performance and the employee receiving a performance improvement plan. After a few months the employee was terminated. She appealed and an internal investigation found the supervisor had been justified in the decision to terminate. Another appeal was made by the employee and additional evidence was provided, prompting the DOT to offer the employee a similar position in another division of the department, which she accepted. Once the report is passed on to DOT, Purdy said their work is done. They would need to decide what actions are warranted. Theyll have to decide what impact the report has on them, Purdy said. He said in speaking to the staff tasked with conducting the interviews the interviews went smoothly and most staff were open. Pennsylvania Judicial Center The Pennsylvania Judicial Center (Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com ) A painter who was fired after cursing, poking and threatening his boss has lost his bid for unemployment compensation. The defeat came when a Commonwealth Court panel concluded that Nathaniel J. Johnson's actions were a blatant example of willful misconduct. The judges rejected Johnson's argument that he was provoked by his boss, whom he portrayed as a racist and a bully. According to the court's recent opinion by Judge Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter, Johnson had been working for the Philadelphia Housing Authority for more than 16 years when the blow-up that led to his firing occurred on Oct. 23, 2014. His boss spoke to him about his failure to to record his time on his trip sheet. Johnson replied that "it was not his (expletive) job, he was not a (expletive) secretary," Leadbetter wrote. He next poked his superintendent with a finger, cursed at him and vowed to "(expletive) him up." Johnson had to be restrained by co-workers, the court ruling states. Johnson was fired for violating the authority's policy banning threats and violence in the workplace. He appealed to the court after the state Unemployment Compensation Board of Review upheld the denial of his jobless aid. Johnson claimed on appeal that he had previously reported his boss to the authority's human resources department for "being a harasser and a bully," for calling him a racial slur and for "denigrating his intelligence," Leadbetter noted. She wrote that Johnson claimed the incident that got him fired was triggered when his boss "hurled a racial epithet at him," although Johnson conceded no one else saw that exchange. In upholding the comp denial, Leadbetter noted that, while there is evidence Johnson and his boss "did not have a good working relationship," Johnson's threat to beat up his supervisor undeniably violated his employer's work rules. She noted, too, that Johnson didn't make his claim that he had been provoked by his boss during hearings before an unemployment comp referee or the review board. He only raised that issue when he appealed to her court. fired-pa-man-spits-in-face-of-boss.jpg A Pa. man's firing suddenly became a police matter when the fired employee allegedly spat in the face of one manager and shoved another. (File) A Pa. man's firing at a Texas Roadhouse restaurant suddenly became a police matter when the fired employee allegedly spat in the face of one manager and shoved another. Our sister website, LehighValleyLive.com, reports that the accused ex-employee is Nicholas Robert Ritter of Allentown, Pa. He was fired from his job at a Texas Roadhouse in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County, on Friday afternoon when he allegedly reacted badly. According to Pennsylvania State Police, Ritter spit in the face of one of the restaurant's managers and shoved another manager as he left the establishment, the website reports, adding: The victims were two men, one aged between 30 to 35 and the other, aged between 20 to 25. Ritter, whose age was not provided by police, faces two counts of harassment. suspect Manor-Shopping-Center-Fulton.jpg Police said the man handed a note to a bank clerk stating that he was robbing the bank, at around 1:15 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Fulton Bank on the 1200 block of Millersville Pike. (Manheim Township police) Manheim Township police are looking for a man accused of robbing a Fulton bank New Year's Eve. Police said the man handed a note to a bank clerk stating that he was robbing the bank at around 1:15 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Fulton Bank on the 1200 block of Millersville Pike in Lancaster Township. The man fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said in a news release. The suspect is described as a white man 30 to 35 years. He was wearing a gray knit hat, sunglasses, a black pullover shirt and a messenger bag at the time of the robbery. Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to contact Manheim Township police at 717-569-6401 or call the anonymous tip line at 717-569-2816. marijuana arrest The York County Drug Task Force with the help of and police agencies from the region last week seized 247 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop. Three men, including a sheriff's deputy from California, have been charged in connection to the seizure. All three posted $1 million bail each. (Ivey DeJesus/PennLive) A sheriff's deputy is among three California men charged by police in York County in connection to 247 pounds of marijuana seized last week after a traffic stop in the Hanover area. Christopher Heath, 37, of Bangor, had his badge and service weapon when he was arrested last Tuesday, along with Ryan Falsone, 27, of Oroville, and Tyler Long, 31, also of Bangor. All three have been charged with delivery of marijuana, criminal conspiracy to deliver marijuana and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. The three, who were arrested last Tuesday after a traffic stop, have all posted a respective $1 million bail. "Suffice it to say it was not a routine traffic stop," said York County District Attorney Tom Kearney, speaking at a press conference in Penn Township, Hanover on Monday morning. "We knew who we were going to stop and why," Kearney said. He said police had been working on "intelligence received." Kearney, flanked by law enforcement agents from several agencies, said the arrest had been part of an ongoing coordinated effort by the York County Drug Task Force and surrounding police agencies. The seized drug, laid out across four large tables, was seized in double wrapped packages and has a street retail value in excess of $2 million. "This was very sophisticated operation that was ongoing," Kearney said. The arrest was made in the early morning hours of Dec. 29 in the Hanover area with the assistance of West Manheim Township police. The three men were in the car. In addition to the drug, police seized $11,000 in cash, a gun, three duffle bags and a T-shirt emblazoned with "Triple Cross Pitbulls," which Kearney said has a connection to the drug operation. The weapon - a Glock 40-caliber - is Heath's service weapon, Kearney said. Kearney said police did not know ahead of time that Heath was a law enforcement agent. He would not provide information as to what the men's intentions were or if any of it had been distributed, he said, adding that the information was part of the ongoing investigation. The three men surrendered peacefully to police, Kearney said. He said that while no federal charges have been charged yet, they will likely face several as the drug was transported across states lines. Christopher Heath, 37, of Bangor, Calif., is a sheriff's deputy, who has been charged in connection to a drug bust in York County. Kearney praised the work of law enforcement agents from across several agencies, saying the men and women of these police and law enforcement agencies "risked their lives every day doing a very, very dangerous job." Also present at the press conference were: Chief Deputy District Attorney David Sunday, Capt. Adam Kosheba, Pennsylvania State Police, Chief Jim Laughlin, Penn Township Police Department, Chief Dan Stump, Springettsbury Township Police Department, Chief Chad Martin, Hanover Borough Police Department and Chief Tim Damon, York Area Regional Police Department. Bankrob1.4.15.jpg Police are looking for a robbery suspect that is pictured in the surveillance photographs above. (South Lebanon Township police) Police are looking for a man they say used a pump action shotgun to rob a Lebanon County bank Monday morning. The man carried what appeared to be a shortened pump action shotgun around 9 a.m. Monday when he robbed the M&T Bank on State Drive in South Lebanon Township, according to a Monday news release from township police. Police describe their suspect as a 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 black male, weighing 250 pounds. He reportedly wore a hooded black winter jacket, a face mask, dark colored sweatpants and white or light colored running shoes at the time of the incident. Police said the suspect was last seen running toward South Hills Park in the area. Anyone with information is asked to call South Lebanon Township police at 717-274-0481. How shall we remember 2015? Or shall we try to forget it? It is always hard to know when a turning point has been reached, and usually it is long afterward before we recognize it. However, if 2015 has been a turning point, it may well have marked a turn in a downward direction for America and for Western civilization. This was the year when we essentially let the world know that we were giving up any effort to try to stop Iran the world's leading sponsor of international terrorism from getting a nuclear bomb. Surely it does not take much imagination to foresee what lies at the end of that road. It will not matter if we have more nuclear bombs than they have, if they are willing to die and we are not. That can determine who surrenders. And ISIS and other terrorists have given us grisly demonstrations of what surrender would mean. Putting aside, for the moment, the fateful question whether 2015 is a turning point, what do we see when we look back instead of looking forward? What characterizes the year that is now ending? More than anything else, 2015 has been the year of the big lie. There have been lies in other years, and some of them pretty big, but even so 2015 has set new highs or new lows. This is the year when we learned, from Hillary Clinton's own emails, after three long years of stalling, stone-walling and evasions, that Secretary of State Clinton lied, and so did President Barack Obama and others under him, when they all told us in 2012 that the terrorist attack in Benghazi that killed the American ambassador and three other Americans was not a terrorist attack, but a protest demonstration that got out of hand. "What difference, at this point, does it make?" as Clinton later melodramatically cried out, at a congressional committee hearing investigating that episode. First of all, it made enough of a difference for some of the highest officials of American government to concoct a false story that they knew at the time was false. It mattered enough that, if the truth had come out, on the eve of a presidential election, it could have destroyed Obama's happy tale of how he had dealt a crippling blow to terrorists by killing Osama bin Laden (with an assist from the Navy's SEALS). Had Obama's lies about his triumph over terrorism been exposed on the eve of the election, that could have ended his stay in the White House. And that could have spared us and the world many of Obama's disasters in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world. That is why it matters, and will continue to matter in the future. Lying, by itself, is obviously not new. What is new is the growing acceptance of lying as "no big deal" by smug sophisticates, so long as these are lies that advance their political causes. Many in the media greeted the exposure of Clinton's lies by admiring how well she handled herself. Lies are a wall between us and reality and being walled off from reality is the biggest deal of all. Reality does not disappear because we don't see it. It just hits us like a ton of bricks when we least expect it. The biggest lie of 2014 "Hands up, don't shoot" had its repercussions in 2015, with the open advocacy of the killing of policemen, in marches across the country. But the ambush killings of policemen that followed aroused no such outrage in the media as any police use of force against thugs. Nor has there been the same outrage as the murder rate shot up when the police pulled back, as they have in the past, in the wake of being scapegoated by politicians and the media. Most of the people murdered have been black. But apparently these particular black lives don't matter much to activists and the media. No one expects that lies will disappear from political rhetoric. If you took all the lies out of politics, how much would be left? If there is anything that is bipartisan in Washington, it is lying. The most recent budget deal showed that congressional Republicans lied wholesale when they said that they would defund Obamacare, Planned Parenthood and other pet projects of the Democrats. As for 2015, good riddance. We can only hope that people who vote in 2016 will have learned something from 2015's disasters. (Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. His syndicated column appears Mondays.) An Iranian woman holds up a poster showing Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent opposition Saudi Shiite cleric who was executed last week by Saudi Arabia, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. Allies of Saudi Arabia followed the kingdom's lead and began scaling back diplomatic ties to Iran on Monday after the ransacking of Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, violence sparked by the Saudi execution of al-Nimr. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) US regulators recently approved AstraZeneca gout therapy Zurampic, offering patients a new approach to treating the condition. Gout is a serious and debilitating form of inflammatory arthritis caused by excess serum uric acid levels. It affects millions of people around the globe, many of whom do not reach recommended serum uric acid treatment goals despite standard treatment with xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOI), which decrease production of uric acid. For patients who remain inadequately controlled on XOIs, the addition of a urate-lowering therapy, such as Zurampic (lesinurad), to increase excretion of uric acid may help them to achieve treatment goals, according to AZ. In the US, physicians can now prescribe the drug in combination with an XOI for the treatment of gout-associated hyperuricaemia in patients who have not achieved target serum uric acid levels with an XOI alone. A new approach to treating gout is long overdue given there has been limited therapy innovation over the last 50 years, said Lawrence Edwards, chief executive of the Gout and Uric Acid Education Society (GUAES). Combination therapy with Zurampic is an important addition to the medicines available to physicians that will help more gout patients reach their serum uric acid treatment targets, which may ultimately relieve their suffering from this painful disease. Zurampic is also currently under regulatory review in the European Union, where the European Medicines Agencys Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recently recommended its approval. Shire is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Baxter's biopharma spin-off Baxalta and may announce a deal this week. According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the matter have said that the Irish firm could buy Baxalta for $32 billion, or $46.50-$48 a share. The deal is expected to contain a cash component. After Baxaltas management rejected an initial bid, Shire went public with a $30 billion unsolicited offer in August 2015, only a month after Baxalta was spun off from Baxter. After shareholders agreed with the board that this offer was too low, rumours swelled in November that Shire was looking to make a second approach and had asked its advisers to construct a new deal. Flemming Ornskov, chief executive officer of Shire, has said that the companies could deliver $20 billion in product sales by 2020. FORT TOTTEN --The Pioneer Daughters Museum is homeless, at least for a while. But the museum at Fort Totten State Historic Site is not about to become part of history. Housed for the past 55 years in the former military hospital, which later became a Native American boarding school cafeteria at Fort Totten State Historic Site, the museum's artifacts were placed in storage in October, when the State Historical Society of North Dakota and Fort Totten State Historic Site Foundation started construction on a $600,000 renovation project. The project is just the latest in a decades-long program to renovate and restore Fort Totten, considered one of the best-preserved frontier military forts in the nation. "It has been ongoing for many, many years," said Julie Schuler, foundation president. "Because of lack of funds, nothing was done for a long time. We were worried that some work that had been done would have to be redone." Historic past Fort Totten was built in 1867 as a military post, one of scores of forts built in the Great Plains during the latter half of the 1800s. After it was decommissioned in 1890, it became the property of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, serving as a boarding school for Dakota and Chippewa students until 1935. Enrollment was as high as 400, according to State Historical Society of North Dakota literature. From 1935 until 1939, it was a federal tuberculosis preventorium, providing care and education to small groups of Dakota children who either had or were susceptible to tuberculosis. The facility then became a reservation community and day school, with more control transferred to local tribal leaders. Fort Totten became a North Dakota Historic Site in 1960 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. "It's the most complete frontier military fort from between here and Texas. Considering all the forts there were between here and Texas, it's pretty remarkable," said Guinn Hinman, a historic sites manager with the North Dakota Historical Society. Community support One reason it has persevered, Hinman said, is that it served as a school for a long time, much longer than it served as a military establishment. The other reason is community support. The local foundation started raising money for the present project about three years ago. Then, foundation leaders went to the North Dakota Legislature in early 2015 with a renovation plan and a funding request. The Legislature agreed to set aside $500,000, with the stipulation that the foundation raise an additional $100,000. So far, the group has raised about $75,000, Schuler said. The main fundraiser is an annual fall dinner-theater production, held over one weekend. It starts with dinner at the Totten Trail Historic Inn, a former officers' quarters that was restored from 2001 to 2002. Then guests move to the Fort Totten Little Theater -- on the opposite side of the fort's courtyard--for a play, which is staged within the context of a TV game show. Each of the two events has raised about $25,000. The foundation also held its first holiday radio hour in December. The variety show, which featured local performers singing holiday classics, popular show tunes and other musical favorites, raised about $12,000. "Membership is rising. The community has responded," Schuler said. The foundation also receives revenue from the Totten Trail Historic Inn -- from overnight room rentals to catering meetings and events. The present restoration phase includes exterior rehabilitation, including the roof and foundation, as well as repairs to stone, replacement of missing bricks, tuckpointing and painting. It also includes stabilizing walls, replacing interior floor joists and floor decking, as well as asbestos abatement and window replacement. Past projects Totten Trail Historic Inn: The 10-room Totten Trail Historic Inn is a bed and breakfast housed in the former officer's quarters, which was renovated in 2000 with a combination of federal grants and local matching funds. Open year-round, with its busiest season being May to September, it features bed-and-breakfast accommodations furnished in period style, from 1870 to 1910. The rooms are named for sponsoring Lake Region families, each one with a different themes and memorabilia that depict the family's business history or interests. The inn is used for the dinner-theater productions, too. Fort Totten Visitor Center: The Visitor's Center opened in 2011 after renovations to the former fort commissary were complete, site supervisor Lisa Alberts said. The center welcomes visitors with refurbished wood floors leading to a display that gives an overview of the fort's history. Fort Totten Little Theater: The 200-seat theater, located across the courtyard, was built during the boarding school area. The theater opened in 1963. When the theater celebrated its 50th anniversary, board members said they estimated that 1,100 people from around the region had performed in local productions of major plays over the years, beginning with Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, "Oklahoma." Original paintings on the back wall have been restored. Looking ahead The hospital renovation project will continue, with future phases including replacement of the mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the repair and painting of walls and the pressed tin ceiling. "The rest depends on the money we can get from the Legislature," Schuler said. The group also hopes to restore the original entry, wing porches and the roof dome to match the original military hospital appearance. "The other cool thing is we will be rebuilding a historic dome on top of it," Hinman said. "It was a frontier military hospital ether dome. They did surgery there because there was light." Ether domes, also known as surgical operating amphitheaters, were built under sunlit domes on the top floors of many hospitals across the U.S. throughout the 1800s. When the rehabilitation is completed, the Pioneer Daughters Museum will reopen in the building. "The projects that have been finished are wonderful," Alberts said. "This is going to be nice. Sometimes I sit here and think: I'm so fortunate to work here. So much history right here." FARGO, N.D. Sanford Health is launching a sonography program in February to meet the growing demand for ultrasound specialists. The first class of the 18-month program will finish just in time for the opening of Sanfords new hospital, a $494 million facility going up south of Interstate 94 and east of Veterans Boulevard. Thats probably one of the biggest reasons that this came to light, said Chris Walski, manager of general and vascular ultrasound at Sanford in Fargo. That need alone was going to be soon approaching. Walski and her sister Jessica Brendsel, manager of Sanfords echocardiography lab, spearheaded the new programs creation, which they said was imperative as sonography is incorporated into more areas of medicine, such as orthopedics and neurology. We are growing as a modality so quickly, and we just dont have the educational opportunities around in this region, said Brendsel, 35, who has counted just seven other programs in North Dakotas four neighboring states, the closest of which is in St. Cloud, Minn. There are no other sonography programs in North Dakota. Sanfords program will offer two concentrations: general/vascular, which is Walskis area, and cardiac, which is Brendsels area. General/vascular includes monitoring pregnancy, while cardiac focuses on the heart. If a patient comes in with chest pains, a cardiac sonographer checks to see whether a portion of the heart is damaged, Brendsel said. Jobs in both concentrations are projected to grow about 40 percent by 2022, which is much faster than the average for all occupations, according to Sanford. But the Sanford program is starting small, with just six students: four in general/vascular and two in cardiac. Applications are due Jan. 8, and classes start Feb. 29. The program will integrate classroom and clinical learning, all taught by current employees. So what they learn about in the morning, they could be scanning in the afternoon, with real patients, said Walski, 38. Walski said the only new hire was a general/vascular program director. The program is not affiliated with a college, which is a first for Sanford, Brendsel said. For the past year, staff worked long hours to develop the curriculum, which will likely undergo regular updates. Its like smartphones, Walski said of sonography. The second we get (a new technology), it bumps up to the next version. Take 3-D imaging, which was this out-there thing when Brendsel started 10 years ago. Today, its standard practice. Thats the exciting thing about our profession, Brendsel said. Were not going to be static. At the local police headquarters , David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, discusses the case. BRIAN VAN DER BRUG / Los Angeles Times/TNS Read more SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Authorities now believe that the two attackers who killed 14 people last week were both radicalized and had been for quite a while, an FBI official said Monday. "Both subjects were radicalized and have been for some time," David Bowdich, the assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles Field Office, said at a news conference. Bowdich touched on the question of whether one of them guided the other down the path of radicalization, saying that police did not know yet when or how this occurred. "How did that happen and by whom and where did that happen?" he said. "I will tell you right now, we don't know those answers at this point." He added that it was possible there was no "who" responsible for this, but said investigators were still exploring all possibilities. The couple died in a gun battle with authorities several hours after the attack. Investigators have found evidence of "preplanning," Bowdich said. Both attackers went to shooting ranges in the Los Angeles region for target practice, including one such visit just days before the shooting, he said. The federal investigation - which Bowdich described as "massive in scale" - has involved more than 400 interviews, he said. County officials had said earlier Monday they were returning to work in an attempt to resume normal business, five days after 14 people were killed in a massacre at an event for government workers. The only exception is the Division of Environmental Health Services, where work will be suspended for at least another week, county officials said at a news conference. One of the two killers, Syed Rizwan Farook, was a department employee. In an effort to help employees cope with the effects of last week's violence, the county has established a counseling center and hotline, and managers in county government have been asked to look for signs of stress among their staff. San Bernardino has already taken steps since the Dec. 2 shooting at the Inland Regional Center to enhance security in county facilities, including increasing the number of armed guards at certain facilities, and is considering additional measures. County officials and physicians from hospitals that treated shooting victims stressed that San Bernardino would seek to remain united and would rally around those affected by the massacre. "The purpose of terrorism is to make ordinary people afraid to do the ordinary things that make up their lives," said Janice Rutherford, a member of the county Board of Supervisors. "We can't be afraid of our lives, of our community, of our neighbors, of our coworkers." Of six victims who were admitted to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center after the attack, five have gone home. The wide-ranging investigation into the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since Sept. 11, 2001, continued Monday, as officials sought answers about the attack, the suspects, and any ties they may have to other people. Law enforcement agents on Sunday again searched the home of a man suspected of providing Farook with the military-grade rifles he and his wife used to gun down 14 people. A team of three officials spent about 30 minutes inside the home of Enrique Marquez, a former neighbor of Farook's, and left carrying a large cardboard box. The box's contents were unknown, and the officials declined to identify themselves or their agency to reporters outside. The search at the modest suburban home, the second in two days, took place as new details surfaced about Marquez, who officials say bought the DPMS and Smith & Wesson AR-15 rifles that Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, used in the Dec. 2 rampage. Marquez, who works as a Walmart security guard, checked himself into a mental-health facility Friday; it is not yet clear whether he has already been questioned by authorities or if he will be charged. On Monday, Bowdich said he would not comment on Marquez's status. A picture has begun to take shape of the couple's past and their apparent radicalization even as their lives followed a seemingly ordinary course: work, marriage, a child. The couple's daughter, born in May, is in the care of child protective services. The Marquez and Farook families lived next door to each other on a quiet residential street in Riverside, Calif., for years. Like Farook, Marquez, 29, attended La Sierra High School. Both young men shared a love of cars. Neighbor Jared Rork said Farook and Marquez would sometimes be seen working on cars and listening to music in one of their garages. "They seemed like everyday, normal Americans," he said. One of his coworkers at Walmart, who asked to go only by his last name, Dandy, said Marquez had worked at the store only a few months. When he heard about Marquez's possible role in supplying the weapons used on Dec. 2, Dandy was shocked. "I was just blown away, man," he said. "I couldn't believe something like that could come here." Friends and family described Farook, who was born in Illinois and grew up in California, as devout and conservative. Those who prayed with him at local mosques said the 28-year-old spoke about his personal life to few people. On Sunday, Italian publication La Stampa published an interview with Farook's father, also named Syed, in which he said his son had harbored anti-Semitic animosity. Reached at his son Raheel's home on Sunday morning, the elder Farook said his views differed from those of his son. "He was going towards conservatism," he told reporters through the gate of the home. "His views were conservative; my views were liberal." He also said that Syed Farook had quarreled with a Jewish coworker. One of the fellow county health inspectors killed in the attack was Nicholas Thalasinos, who converted to the Messianic Jewish movement of Christianity three years ago and who frequently posted online about Israel and politics. Thalasinos had been a health inspector in Cape May County more than a decade ago. Kuuleme Stephens, a friend of Thalasinos', said she had spoken with him by phone about two weeks before the attack, reaching him when he was having a conversation with Farook about the nature of Islam and Israel's place in the Middle East. But "it wasn't an argument," she said. Investigators are also working to determine what other attacks the couple may have planned. The rifles they used had been altered to make them more lethal, and a major arsenal was found in their two-story townhouse. Three days before Christmas, the Rev. Adolphus C. Prince, the ousted pastor of Zion Baptist Church, filed a lawsuit against the historic church of the late Rev. Leon H. Sullivan, seeking $50,000 and reinstatement as pastor. The suit seeks temporary and permanent injunctions to stop the congregation from having a second vote, scheduled for Jan. 9, on whether Prince should return. In the Dec. 22 filing, Prince asks Common Pleas Court to overturn the July 2014 vote, saying that he "was pastor of Zion Baptist Church from January 2012 until he was illegally removed on July 12, 2014." Prince's suit names as defendants the church, the deacons board, deacons board chairman Frank K. Richardson Jr., the trustee board, and trustee board chairman Ronald J. Harper. The church, on Broad Street at Venango, was made famous by Sullivan, known worldwide as the "Lion of Zion" and an advocate for civil and human rights. He was pastor from 1950 to 1988. Prince, who formerly went by the name A. Carl Prince, apparently had been part of a group of Zion church members who agreed last fall to have a second vote about his firing. Ads were placed in the Philadelphia Daily News and other newspapers on Oct. 5 announcing: "Zion Baptist Church Plaintiffs and Reverend Dr. A. Carl Prince just won a court approved settlement that overturned the July 2014 pastoral election as the church by-laws had been violated. "The settlement also outlines the procedures and restrictions that will be applied to the next Pastoral Election." Neither Prince nor his lawyer Robert T. Vance could be reached for comment yesterday. The Daily News reported in 2014 that Prince, then 55, had kept his former church, Mount Hope Baptist Church in Prince George County, Va., in litigation for several years. After agreeing to leave that church in December 2011, he arrived at Zion in January 2012. Yesterday, a sizable crowd heard the Rev. Albert Campbell, retired pastor of Mount Carmel Baptist Church, sermonize on the importance of prayer at a time of crisis. He said that Jesus prayed before his crucifixion that his 12 disciples would remain "as one, united and not torn and splintered apart." Campbell said that, since its founding in the 1880s, "Zion has faced a crisis of transition from then to now, through at least 10 pastors, and Zion still stands." The congregation applauded. "This crisis will make us stronger," Campbell said. At a members-only meeting after the service, many church members learned that Prince had sued the church to be reinstated, according to longtime member Jessie Frisby. In February 2015, a lawsuit was filed against church officers by 37 members seeking information about church finances. The suit is pending in Common Pleas Court. russv@phillynews.com215-854-5987 Essays in philosophy, politics and economics by Thomas R. Wells MEDIA QUESTIONNAIRE Name of Publication Established (Give exact date) ADDRESS TELEPHONE FAX NO NAME OF EDITOR Name of Printer Language Frequency Please attach a copy of declaration certificate Off Days Please specify whether morning, evening or state the date of issue Date on which the first issue was brought out Any special edition Price per copy Annual subscription Editorial Objectives and policy Appeal to any special community, class or section News services subscribed to Special regular features (i.e Womens or Children page etc) & when appearing A new Pew Research Center analysis of survey data shows that younger generations tend to have more-positive views than their elders on a number of institutions that play a significant role in American society. Here are 7 figures you should know from the report: 1. Millennials rating of churches and other religious organizations dropped 18 percentage points from 2010 to 2015. In 2010, nearly three-quarters (73 percent) said churches have a positive impact on the country; today, only 55 percent make that same claim. 2. As of 2015, 86 percent of Millennials say small businesses have a positive effect, up 15 points since 2010. 3. Evaluations of large corporations have similarly improved among Millennials (an increase from 28 to 38 percent), though they also remain more negative than positive. 4. Five years ago, just 35 percent of Millennials said banks had a positive impact on the nation; today 45 percent say the impact of banks is positive. 5. Labor unions are also seen more positively today than they were five years ago (45 percent now say they have a positive impact on the country, up from 32 percent in 2010). And Millennials remain much more likely than their elders to view unions positively. 6. While about half of Americans (48 percent) view the energy industry as having a positive impact on the country, this view is somewhat more common among those in younger generations than older: 54 percent of Millennials and 52 percent of Xers say this, compared with just 42 percent of Boomers and 35 percent of Silents. 7. In 2010, four-in-ten Millennials said the national news media was having a positive impact on the way things were going in the country. Now, just 27 percent say it has a positive impact, compared with 26 percent of Generation Xers and Silents and 23 percent of Boomers. 22-Year-Old Fedor Holz Wins Triton Super High Roller $200,000 Cali Cup for $3,072,748 January 04, 2016 Donnie Peters After winning the World Poker Tour $100,000 Alpha8 Las Vegas for $1.589 million in December to close out 2015, Fedor Holz continued his momentum into 2016 with a huge win in the Triton Super High Roller Series $200,000 Cali Cup at WPT Philippines from Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila. Holz's win at Bellagio in Las Vegas saw him top a field of 45 entries, and this time around he defeated a field of 52. Holz scored $3.072 million for this victory. Triton Super High Roller Series $200,000 Cali Cup Results Place Player Prize 1 Fedor Holz $3,072,748* 2 David Peters $2,699,752* 3 Devan Tang $1,405,500 4 Steve O'Dwyer $953,700 5 Phil Ivey $656,500 6 Daniel Colman $502,000 7 Paul Phua $401,600 8 Mike McDonald $351,320 *Denotes heads-up deal Coming into this event, Holz had built up a total of over $3.8 million in live tournament earnings. This win nearly doubles his total to over $7 million. The young German superstar is certainly making a name for himself in poker, as he pushed past a very tough field at the final table. With 40 unique players and 12 reentries, the event generated a prize pool of over $10 million. Thirty-three players returned for Day 2 action, and it was Stanley Choi who was eliminated on the bubble in ninth place. Following his exit, Mike McDonald hit the rail in eighth, and then Steve O'Dwyer took out Paul Phua in seventh. It was at this point that O'Dwyer had the lead and it looked as though another big buy-in title was going to come his way, but he then bluffed off some chips before Devan Tang assumed the lead. Tang then busted Daniel Colman in sixth place to land Colman a payout of $502,000. That score was Colman's 11th six-figure cash in under a two-year period, and his eighth in an event with a buy-in of $50,000 or higher over the same time period. A handful of hands after Colman's bust, Holz got a big break when he spiked a lucky double against Phil Ivey. It was reported that Holz had opened with a raise from under the gun to 90,000 with the blinds at 20,000/40,000/5,000, and Ivey reraised from the small blind to 270,000. Holz opted to move all in for 1.15 million, and Ivey instantly called with the . He had Holz's in a world of hurt, but the flop changed all of that. Holz had vaulted into the lead and held after the turn and river. Shortly after Holz doubled through him, Ivey was eliminated in fifth place when his fell to the of Holz. During four-handed play, Holz doubled up David Peters, but fought his way back up the leaderboard and back into the lead. He then took out O'Dwyer in fourth place to get even more chips, and O'Dwyer earned $953,700 for the result. For O'Dwyer, he was also coming off a highly impressive month of December to close out 2015. He had three cashes that month for $874,440, which included a big win in the European Poker Tour Prague 50,000 Super High Roller for 746,543 ($809,752). On Twitter, O'Dwyer said that he has plans to go from the Philippines to the Bahamas for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and play all of those big buy-in events before he jets off to Australia for the Aussie Millions, so we will likely be hearing much more from him in the first month of the new year. O'Dwyer will be looking to defend his title after he topped a record field in the 2015 PCA $100,000 Super High Roller to win $1.873 million. Holz extended his lead over Tang and Peters in three-handed play, but Peters was able to double through him once and then knock out Tang in third place so that he wasn't totally crushed going into heads-up play. Despite that, though, Holz did have a 2-1 lead when the duel began 6.88 million to 3.525 million. After a short break, the two players opted to shorten the blind levels to 20 minutes and jump from 40,000/80,000/10,000 to 75,000/150,000/25,000. That sped things up, and the match only took four hands from there. On the final hand, Peters opened to 350,000 from the button, Holz made it 1 million to go, and then Peters jammed. Holz called with the , and Peters was flipped for his tournament life with the . The board kept the sevens in the lead for Holz and sealed the deal. For Peters, who finished off 2015 with a $426,240 win on Dec. 20 in the last ARIA $25,000 High Roller of the year, banked $2.7 million and pushed his total live tournament earnings to nearly $10 million. This result also proved to be the largest of his career. With $3.072 million in his bank account and another prestigious poker title in his trophy case, Holz is the early frontrunner for player of the year and top money earner for 2016. We can certainly expect to see many more results from him this year, and those should all start with the PCA and Aussie Millions up next. *Photo courtesy of the WPT. Want to stay atop all the latest in the poker world? If so, make sure to get PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+! Officer Nicholas Powell was shot and dragged after a traffic stop. (Photo: WXII TV screen shot) A Winston-Salem, NC, police officer and a suspect were wounded in a shooting following a traffic stop early Monday morning. The incident was reported just before 2 a.m. on Business 40 east near Lowery Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Officer Nicholas Powell, 27, was dragged a quarter mile and shot multiple times, while the suspect, Gary Lynn, 26, of Raleigh, had a single gunshot wound, said Winston-Salem police Chief Barry Rountree. None of the injuries are considered life-threatening, and both were treated at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Rountree said it appears all the shots were fired from Lynn's weapon, and no law enforcement officials fired shots, WXII TV reports. CNN's Brianna Keilar: Tel Aviv Is Israel's Capital | Main | Palestinian Officials Continue to Promote Antisemitic Blood Libel January 04, 2016 Media Reports Iranian Anger at Saudi Executions But Ignores Iranian Executions Kurds executed in Iran The news media has reported on worldwide reaction to Saudi Arabia's execution of 47 prisoners. Among those executed was a prominent Shiite activist, Nimr al-Nimr. His execution has prompted considerable discussion of the harsh nature of the Saudi regime. Many Western news outlets have made a point of noting the angry recriminations voiced by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. The Saudi regime carries out numerous executions every year. In 2015, the BBC reports the Saudis executed 150 prisoners. However, the Iranian condemnation is truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Iran executes hundreds every year. Yet these executions, usually by hanging, receive little attention in the Western media. An article in the English language version of the London-based Arab newspaper, Ashaq al-Awsat, reports that Iran executed 750 political prisoners in the last nine months of 2015. The majority of those executed were ethnic Kurds, the largest Sunni muslim group in Iran. According to the article, the Vice President of the Iranian Kurdistan Freedom Party, Hussein Yazdan Bina stated, In order to hide the facts from the international public opinion, the Iranian regime fabricated the charge of narcotics trafficking. In reality, trafficking is being carried out by Iranian authorities and by officials of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian Intelligence in a project to suppress the Kurdish people in Iran. Iran has deluded the international community into thinking that the executions are not based on political grounds.? The rate of executions has increased with the advent of the Iranian nuclear agreement. According to the article, Yazdan Bina also pointed out that the nuclear deal concluded by Tehran with the great six powers has set the Iranian regime into carrying out more execution campaigns against the Kurds in eastern Kurdistan... Posted by SS at January 4, 2016 02:09 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. MINNEAPOLIS Major decisions on copper-nickel mining, a water quality summit and a push to reduce carbon emissions by Minnesota's utilities will be among the top issues on Minnesota's environmental agenda for 2016. Some of the debate will be very public, while much of the work on issues such as oil pipelines and wild rice will take place behind the scenes, within state agencies that will be conducting environmental reviews and developing regulations. Here's a look ahead: Polymet Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr plans to decide "about February" whether to certify as adequate the final environmental impact statement on the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine. He has already said he expects to approve the 3,576-page document. Once he does and federal agencies sign off, PolyMet Mining Corp. plans to quickly start applying for the permits it needs to build Minnesota's first copper-nickel mine. Environmentalists are expected to fight the permits, and the dispute could end up in court. PolyMet says it hopes to start mining in 2018. Water quality summit Gov. Mark Dayton plans to convene a summit in February to address water quality challenges across the state. Participants will include researchers, farmers, lawmakers, regulators, and business and local leaders. When Dayton announced the summit in November, he told farm groups that modern agriculture contributes to the state's critical water quality problems, but urban areas face their own serious water issues. ADVERTISEMENT Clean Power Plan Minnesota Pollution Control Agency staffers will hold listening sessions around the state in February on how the state should meet its obligations to cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants under the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan. The agency is required to give the Legislature a status report in March. A bigger deadline comes in September when the MPCA has to give the Environmental Protection Agency an outline of its plan for complying. Mille Lacs Lucky ice anglers can keep one walleye of the right size from Mille Lacs Lake this winter. The popular lake's changing ecosystem has contributed to a sharp decline in its walleye population, though its bass and northern pike are doing well. The DNR closed the lake's summer walleye season in August. The struggling local economy should get a boost from the 2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Tournament Sept. 15-18. Organizers say it could bring more than $3 million to the area. The DNR plans a pilot project in 2016 for stocking the lake with walleye fry in case the agency needs to do larger-scale stocking someday. Buffer strips Officials will be working to implement Dayton's buffer strip law, which will require farmers to leave vegetation buffers of up to 50 feet along streams and ditches to help filter out phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment to improve water quality. The DNR will produce final maps by July of public waters and ditch systems that will require buffers. Preliminary maps are expected late this winter. The maps will help landowners identify whether they need to create buffers and, if so, how wide. Wild rice The MPCA will digest public comments on its proposed new water quality standards for protecting wild rice. Minnesota's existing limit on sulfate discharges into wild rice waters is 10 milligrams per liter. The MPCA proposes to replace that with a site-by-site approach. The issue pits mining and other interests against tribal and environmental groups, and the proposal hasn't gone over well with either side. The MPCA anticipates hearings in 2017 and enacting the final rule in 2018. ADVERTISEMENT Pipelines State officials will conduct a full environmental review for two proposed crude oil pipelines across northern Minnesota. Enbridge Energy wants to build the Sandpiper pipeline to carry light crude from North Dakota, and to replace its aging Line 3, which transports Canadian tar sands oil. The company wants a green light in time to start construction in 2017. But the Public Utilities Commission has declined set a deadline for completing the review. State parks Minnesota State Parks and Trails will celebrate its 125th anniversary all year. Commemorations kick off Friday at Fort Snelling State Park. The DNR plans to break ground this spring on a new campground on higher ground at Whitewater State Park, where a 2007 flood caused extensive damage. The DNR also hopes to open the campground at Minnesota's newest state park, on Lake Vermilion, sometime this fall but isn't promising that. For the record, Im a bit of a fan of Tesla electric cars, though to be clear they are for the time being a luxury good, and moreover in states with lots of coal-fired electricity they actually increase total greenhouse gas emissions on a net basis. (One friend in a coal-heavy state has a sticker on his Tesla: How do you like my coal-powered car?) But with all the media attention on the fires occurring on Hoverboards over the holiday season, wed be remiss if we didnt note this story: Tesla Model S Bursts Into Flames While Charging On New Years Day, a Tesla owner in Norway plugged in his Tesla Model S at a SuperCharger station near Kristiansand in the Aust-Agden region and went off to do some shopping while his battery recharged. A few minutes later, his car burst into flames and was destroyed. The duty officer at the campus police office of Jon Kvitnes College told Norways VG News, We received notification at 2.29 pm that a car was on fire near a cafe on Brokelandsheia. We came out with the fire brigade and police, but it turned out that this car was burned out when the emergency services arrived at the scene. Fortunately, there was no one in the car at the time and there were no injuries. . . According to Leif Hansen, who lives in Norway, the following statement was made to the local news media by Anders Torbjrnsen, a member of the fire brigade operations center at the college. It is not possible to extinguish EV fires with water , so the fire department closed the area around the powerful SuperCharger and used a special foam to control the flames. The world renowned electric car has batteries made of lithium, a metal that is highly flammable , and that makes firefighting difficult. Hillary Clinton has many weaknesses as a presidential candidate. One of them used to be her primary asset: her husband Bill. Indeed, we never would have heard of Hillary if she hadnt married Bill, and her appeal to Democrats consists largely of nostalgia for his relatively successful administration. But in an era that is exquisitely sensitive to sexual assault, serial sexual assaulter Bill Clinton may be turning into a liability. The most serious of the several credible charges against Clinton was asserted by Juanita Broaddrick, who says that Clinton raped her. Today in Derry, New Hampshire, Hillary was conducting a town meeting when a woman repeatedly stood up and tried to shout questions about Broaddrick. Hillary ignored the woman, and finally said: You are very rude, and Im not going to ever call on you. Here is the video: The pro-Hillary crowd naturally cheered her handling of the heckler. Moreover, the woman who tried to ask about Juanita Broaddrick is reportedly a GOP legislator from Derry and is being dismissed on that basis. But I wonder. It will always be true that Bills transgressions will be raised by Hillarys political opponents. But what if they are raised often? What if everywhere Hillary goes, someone tries to bring up Juanita Broaddrick? What if people start paying attention to Kathleen Willey, who is alive and well and who says that Bill Clinton assaulted her in a room adjacent to the Oval Office? Paul thinks that if Bills sexcapades didnt hurt him (much) years ago, they will hardly hurt Hillary now. That may well turn out to be right. On the other hand, the Broaddrick and Willey stories were largely buried (compared with Monica Lewinsky, whose case was completely different) when Bill was president. It isnt so easy to bury stories nowadays. Then, too, there are Bills rides on the Lolita Express with Jeffrey Epstein, who preyed on underage girls. Those havent yet been brought up on the campaign trail, but they could be. If Bill is Hillarys campaigner-in-chief, she can hardly complain if his own personal war on women gets mentioned. Currently, I doubt that ten percent of voters have any idea who Juanita Broaddrick is. But that will change if Hillarys opponents are persistent. It seems to me that there is a real possibility that Broaddrick et al could become a millstone around Hillarys neck, especially with younger voters who do not share the geriatric sets warm feelings toward Bill. UPDATE: Paula Jones is getting into the act, too. No doubt Hillary would like to call Jones a liar, but Bill paid Jones $850,000 to settle her sexual harassment suit. Can you imagine the fun Donald Trump, for one, would have with that? Plus, it was Bill Clinton, not Paula Jones, who was found by the presiding federal judge to have committed perjury. There is no way Hillary can touch the Paula Jones case, but what if people start talking about it? Jones says: And how dare her. You know what? She dont care nothing about women. Because if she did she would believe what I had to say. She would believe what the other women had to say. When Hillary cranks up her feminist shtick, who can deny that Jones has a point? The Washington Post features a story about Rahm Emanuels Chicago woes. The headline is In Chicago, distrust toward mayor has turned personal. I cant think of any reason why it shouldnt have. There are two key passages in the Posts story. Heres the first, which appears early on: On the streets of Chicago, the list of grievances is long especially in the citys black wards, where Emanuel won strong initial support from voters because of his service as chief of staff to the nations first African American president, and he managed to hold on to a majority there when he won reelection last year. But over the years, community activists say that Emanuel has done much to abuse their support. They point to his feud with the teachers union and say he has plowed cash into big, splashy projects downtown at the expense of desperate needs in their neighborhoods. Heres the second, which comes near the end: There is no legal mechanism to force [Emanuels] resignation. . .The more practical question, local leaders say, is how Emanuel will govern in the face of near-daily protests. At the policy level, he has promised reforms in the Chicago police, starting with a plan unveiled Wednesday to reduce police shootings by equipping every officer responding to calls with a less-lethal Taser. And in recent weeks, Emanuel has reached out to black leaders. Two prominent ministers, the Revs. Marshall Hatch and Ira Acree, said they were called to a private Dec. 8 meeting in which Emanuel seemed to be trying to assess their level of support. We told him how diminished his own credibility was, Acree recalled. We said if you really want to build trust, you have to go beyond your scurrilous minions in Washington and listen to people who have different views. (Emphasis added) Taken together, these passages suggest that the only way for Emanuel to regain the support hell need to govern is to back off of his reformist agenda e.g., stabilizing finances and pensions, education reform, and economic development downtown and kowtow to the ruinous demands of black leaders. In short, to make Chicago more like Detroit. At a minimum, Emanuel will have to kowtow when it comes to policing, a process that has already started according to the Post. This raises the prospect that crime will increase due to less effective policing, as it seems to have done in Baltimore for example. This would be a terrible outcome for a city where gun violence is already out of control. Indeed, Emanuel himself has blamed increased crime in Chicago on police officers becoming fetal out of concern they will get in trouble for actions during arrests i.e., the Ferguson effect. More broadly, we can expect to witness in Chicago the victory of what Walter Russell Mead calls short-termism, ethnic demagoguery, and fiscal irresponsibility over the imperatives good governance and urban development. This is the hidden agenda of the Black Lives Matter movement, which now has Chicago right where it wants it. As Emanuel might say, never let a crisis go to waste. Nebraska attorney David Begley continues his series of reports for us on the appearances of the presidential candidates in Iowa as the Iowa caucuses approach. Yesterday afternoon Dave attended the appearance of Democrat Martin OMalley in Council Bluffs. Omahas KETV 7s report is here. Daves report is below, with Daves newsworthy question at the top. Todays New York Post carries a brief editorial bearing on the question that OMalley declines to answer: I asked Governor OMalley the following question: Over 1,200 of Secretary Clintons emails contained classified information. The FBI has said it would make a decision on a criminal referral to the Justice Department by the end of 2015. Should the FBI disclose to the public its decision? I caught him off guard. He paused for a long time. He then said, Do I have to answer every question? The crowd laughed. He added: I will leave that to Secretary Clinton and her lawyers to answer. Note that I asked him about what the FBI should disclose. I didnt ask him what the target of the criminal investigation should say. He dodged the question. OMalley is angling to join Hillarys ticket or keeping himself available for the nomination in the event Hillary is indicted. By answering my question the way he did he preserved his viability with the Clinton base. When it comes to promoting his own interests, anyway, OMalley is no dope. OMalley gave a version of his summer stump speech. He is a former Blue State governor promoting the Blue State model. If he deserves credit for anything, it would be for paving the way for Republican Larry Hogan to succeed him. Thats quite an accomplishment in a state as massively Democratic as Maryland. OMalley wants to strengthen Social Security and unions. He advocates big spending on public education and public works projects. He wants to raise wages but dont ask him how other than increasing the minimum wage. He was onto something when he noted that renewable energy is a great business opportunity but he omitted the higher costs to consumers and taxpayers. And forget about the sunk investments in oil, natural gas and coal. Solar is simply magic! He wants a 100 percent Green grid in short order. He thinks that putting illegal aliens on the books will add to FICA payments but he skipped over the wage suppression and unemployment of American workers. He courted the youth vote with a debt-free college plan. He said Donald Trump was overtly fascist and that Trump is calling for identity cards listing ones religion. Really? I dont think so. OMalley said he spent a lot of time fighting mass incarceration. Translated into politically incorrect English, that means he opposed law enforcement in minority communities. Fred Siegel doesnt see it that way. The Washington Posts Paul Schwartzman and John Wagner dont see it that way either. The Baltimore Suns Dan Rodrick doesnt see it that way either. In a sane party, OMalley might be able to offer a relatively straightforward defense of his record. The New York Times made itself a fool for the Rathergate film Truth. The Times not only published Stephen Holdens breathless review of the film, the Times celebrated the film in a TimesTalks event featuring Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett, Dan Rather, and Mary Mapes, hosted by Times Magazine staff writer Susan Dominus. Holden also included Truth in his year-end best-of-2015 list (its number 7!). The Times went all in for this tribute to the greatest journalistic fraud of our era, as I noted in the City Journal column Truth and the New York Times. In its year-end review of possible Oscar contenders, however, Times op-ed columnist Joe Nocera stumbles onto the truth and blurts it out. Doesnt this require some kind of a trigger warning for Times readers? Nocera observes that Truth is a tribute to bad reporting. Of course, Nocera is right about that. We tried to help Holden and Dominus out on this point in our Weekly Standard article Rather shameful. Nocera contrasts Truth with Spotlight, a film that depicts the Boston Globes investigation of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Nocera is right about that too. Spotlight is an excellent film. As for the contrast between the two films, Nocera makes this elementary observation: [W]hile Spotlight shows reporters at their best tackling a huge, important story while taking on Bostons biggest sacred cow the journalism that Truth views as heroic is anything but. In her eagerness to run a tough story, Ms. Mapes didnt bother to nail down the authenticity of those documents. Nor did Mr. Rather push her to do so. And while the films writer and director, James Vanderbilt, nods at their errors, his underlying message seems to be that the larger truth they were trying to tell the suggestion that Mr. Bush was given preferential treatment during his National Guard service in the early 1970s should not have been undermined just because they were fooled by a few fake documents. Hence, I suppose, the movies title. They werent attacked about the substance of their story, Mr. Vanderbilt told me recently. They were attacked on the documents. Which suggests that even though he wrote the screenplay for a previous film involving journalism David Finchers 2007 thriller, Zodiac he really doesnt understand the difference between good reporting and bad. Nocera seems not to be aware that Mapes and Rather got the substance of the story regarding Bushs alleged preferential treatment wrong too. In Mapess case, this was no error. She certainly knew better about Bushs alleged preferential admission to serve in the Texas Air National Guard, as the Thornburgh report establishes beyond a reasonable doubt. But at least Nocera recognizes the anomalous nature of Truth, in which knaves and fools are turned into heroes. Now, I guess, the truth can be told, more or less. What still cant be told cant be told in the Times anyway is how the Times has made itself a fool for Truth. As Change the Rule, is pushing for the CPD to include independent candidates in debates, the top candidates plan their own. Top Independent Candidates For The US Presidency To Face Off In Lake Charles, Louisiana PR-Inside.com: 2016-01-04 06:55:49 Press Information IndependentDebate2016.com 6 East Lake View Dr Suite 5 Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 Glenn Thomas PR Coordinator 5134944255 email http://www.IndependentDebate2016.com # 345 Words 6 East Lake View Dr Suite 5 Cincinnati, Ohio 45237PR Coordinator5134944255 LAKE CHARLES, La. - Jan. 3, 2016 - PRLog -- LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA - In direct response to being frozen out of the current Presidential Debates under rules established by the little known Commission on Presidential Debates and in response to the calls for rule reform by such entities as changetherule.org and a host of of policymakers, several political parties have joined forces to hold a series of Independent Presidential Debates. For the men and women who run for president and vice president of the United States, the national debates are a great rite of passage in the long political campaign. Every four years, tens of millions of Americans watch the nominees make their case to the voters in the final weeks before Election Day. Some voters decide who "wins" each debate; others use the debates as the means to decide for whom to vote.It has been 23 years since an Independent Candidate shared a Presidential Debate stage and under the current rules they never will. Declared Independent Presidential candidates from around the country will come together and debate the issues that affect our nation to make themselves known to the American Voter. Debate Organizers are planning to broadcast the debate live online and are still in discussion with several news organizations to air over television and radio.The first official Independent Presidential Debate of 2016 will be held Thursday January 28, 2016 6pm at The Reeves Uptown Conference Center located at 1639 Ryan St, Lake Charles LA 70601.It will be hosted By The National Whig Party and moderated by Derick Kee President The V.I.S.A. Coalition and Jackie Semien former Anchor of ABC News affiliate KBMT/ http://www.12newsnow.com Confirmed Debating Declared Presidential Candidates are: Dr.Jill SteinJohn Fitzgerald JohnsonRobert DionisioVerone ThomasChris KenistonVal KittingtonDr. Lynn S. KahnZoltan IstvanRoger E. NicholasDarryl W. PerryRhett SmithAdditional information and website links to each candidate's website may be accessed at http://www.IndependentDebate2016.com For More Information Please contact The Independent Presidential Debates 2016 Team at admin@ IndependentDebate2016.com PR-Inside.com: 2016-01-04 04:01:02 Herbalife Appoints Filipino Doctor to Its Nutrition Advisory Board Media Enquiries: Herbalife Asia Pacific Daliea Mohamad-Liauw, +852-3589-2643 Vice President, Corporate Communications dalieal@herbalife.com or Herbalife Philippines Barbs A. Soliven, 632-555-2828 Corporate Communications Manager barbettes@herbalife.com Global nutrition company, Herbalife welcomes Dr. Francis Gregory Samonte, an expert in pediatric neurology, to become the first Filipino appointed to its prestigious Nutrition Advisory Board (NAB), effective January 1, 2016. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201601030050 A photo of Dr Francis Gregory Samonte (Photo: Business Wire) The Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board is comprised of leading experts from around the world in the fields of nutrition and health who inform, educate and train Independent Herbalife Members on the principles of nutrition, physical activity and healthy lifestyle. Samontes appointment further strengthens the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board members to 30. His addition also reflects further expansion of nutrition and health experts from Asia Pacific in the Nutrition Advisory Board who will play a central role in raising public awareness and leading educational programs on balanced nutrition and healthy active lifestyle in 15 countries across the region as part of Herbalifes Asia Pacific Wellness Tour initiative. Samonte is among the Philippines' premier experts in pediatric neurology, and is currently based in Manila. He graduated from De La Salle University College of Medicine in 1995, and has since studied at institutes including John Hopkins University and Harvard Medical School, USA. He was a recipient of the Chairmans Achievement Award, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Kentucky, and his affiliations include the Philippines Medical Association. In tandem with his distinguished career in medicine, Samonte is active in supporting charities, notably through being a member of the Board of Directors of Community Based Resources in Zambales. Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board The board is chaired by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., Founding Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)*, who was recently in Manila for Herbalife's fourth Asia Pacific Wellness Tour, which included an obesity seminar given to Filipino medical practitioners. Other members of the NAB include Dr. Lou Ignarro, a Nobel** laureate in Physiology or Medicine in 1998 for his discovery of nitric oxides health benefits; Dr. Gary Small, a specialist in brain health and aging, who has received numerous awards and honors, including the Senior Investigator Award from the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. * The University of California, as a matter of policy, does not endorse specific products or services. Dr. Hebers credentials as a professor are for identification purposes only. **The Nobel Foundation has no affiliation with Herbalife and does not review, approve or endorse Herbalife products. About Herbalife Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) is a global nutrition company that sells weight-management, nutrition and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in more than 90 countries to and through a network of Independent Herbalife Members. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to help bring good nutrition to children. Herbalife's website contains financial and other information about the company at www.herbalife.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201601030050 A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday sentenced Tajudeen Folaji, a stockbroker, to seven years imprisonment for fraudulent sale of shares. The convict was found guilty of a one-count charge of unauthorized sale of shares and stealing contrary to Section 390(8) (b) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C17, Vol. 2 Laws of Laws of Lagos State 2003. While Mr. Folaji is to serve prison term, his company, First Alstate Securities Limited, where he was the managing director, was fined N20 million by Justice Kudirat Jose. Mr. Folaji was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, following a petition from the Security and Exchange Commission in 2010 that he fraudulently sold the shares of Adesoye Holdings Limited in IPWA Plc. After diligent investigation by the anti-graft commission, it was discovered that the convict fraudulently sold 31,886,200 units of Adesoye Holdings Limited shares in IPWA Plc worth millions of naira. Aside the seven years imprisonment, the court also made an order that the EFCC should trace the properties of Mr. Folaji and cause same to be sold with the proceeds forfeited to Adesoye Holdings Limited. The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, arrived Abuja on Monday to begin a four-day visit to Nigeria. The visit is part of a two-nation West African region tour to engage policy makers and top officials of Nigeria and Cameroon on economic developments affecting both countries and the West African sub-region. Prior to Ms Lagardes arrival, the IMF had explained that the visit would underline the Funds strong relationship with its African member countries. The visit to Nigeria will provide an opportunity to strengthen the Funds partnership with the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, the statement said. While in Abuja, Ms. Lagarde would meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, and Central Bank, CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, along with members of the National Assembly, top business leaders, and civil society representatives. Nigeria is working hard to improve its business environment, promote opportunities for growth in the private sector, and strengthen social cohesion, all areas where the government has an important role to play, the IMF boss said. She said discussions with President Buhari would focus on various economic issues, particularly the impact of the declining crude oil prices on the countrys economy. The IMF has been one of the international finance organisations that have been critical of some policies by the Buhari administration, particularly the CBNs monetary policy on restriction of access to foreign exchange to strengthen the Naira and stabilize the Nigerian economy. The CBN had removed 41 items from accessing its foreign exchange window on grounds that they could easily be produced in Nigeria rather than spend the countrys reserves on importing them. But the Funds Director, African Department, Antoinette Sayer, had said that measures put in place by the CBN was detrimental to the countrys economy, as it was exerting undue pressure on the national currency, rather than stabilize it. Mr. Sayer said the introduction of the administrative measures to limit access by some items to foreign exchange and ban certain imports as a way of restricting the demand for foreign exchange was hindering private sector investment in the economy. It is not something we think is sustainable or advisable, he said. We hope that there will be an opportunity to review those restrictions and permit the exchange rate to continue to adjust, he added. Although the agenda of Ms. Lagardes meeting with President Buhari during the visit was not made public on Monday, close watchers said that, apart from the impact of the drop in global crude oil price, the review of the CBN policy was likely going to be one of the key issues to be discussed. The Director-General of African Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Lin Songtian, on Monday, restated his governments commitment to support the development of African countries in the next three years. Mr. Lin told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the Chinese government would in the next three years follow up on the outcome of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit. Let me reassure African countries, including Nigeria, that the 10 areas of cooperation announced by President Xi Jinping at the Summit would be completed within the next three years. Whenever the Chinese government makes any promise, we always ensure that such promises or development projects are executed, he said. Mr. Lin, who is also the Secretary General of the follow-up committee on FOAC, said the Chinese government would, within the period, support African countries in industrialisation, agricultural modernisation and infrastructure development. He also listed other areas of cooperation to include financial, green development, trade and investment facilitation, poverty reduction, public health, cultural and people-to-people interaction, as well as peace and security plans. The Chinese official said the move was to make African countries self-dependent, as well as fast-track their overall development. Mr. Lin, an ambassador, said the Chinese government had already set aside huge sums of money towards the realisation of these set areas of cooperation within the period. We earnestly want African countries to develop because we regard African countries as our brothers and partners in progress. We are committed to promoting our win-win-cooperation with our dear African countries and friends. We want to see these countries develop in all areas, so that they also become self-dependent, he added. (NAN) By Johnnie Carson Washington, DC After seven years in office, President Barack Obama has already engaged more broadly on Africa than any previous American president, but with one year remaining in the White House, there are still a few things he should do before he leaves, writes Johnnie Carson, the United States top policy-maker on Africa in the first Obama administration. President Obama has significantly elevated and transformed Americas engagement with Africa, traveling widely across the continent, championing the renewal of several old programs and launching a series of highly focused new initiatives that could help speed-up Africas economic development. He has been particularly active in promoting economic and development issues. He fought successfully for the renewal and extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Americas most important trade legislation with Africa; he hosted the first U.S.-Africa Leadership Summit, attended by 37 heads of state; and he has established several important new economic programs, including Power Africa to expand significantly electrical access across the continent; Feed the Future to increase household food production and to generate a green revolution throughout Africa, and Trade Africa to expand substantially trade between Africa and the United States. Recognizing the growing role of the continents next generation of young leaders, President Obama established YALI the Young African Leaders Initiative, a program that will bring 500 young African entrepreneurs, professionals and community organizers to the U.S. each year for the next several years for five weeks of leadership, organization and management training. But what next? Despite his rather impressive list of accomplishments, here are ten things the president should do before he leaves office in January 2017: Visit Nigeria: President Obama has traveled to Africa five times during his presidency but he has not visited Nigeria, the continents economic, political, communications and petroleum giant, and its most important state. It is the continents largest economy almost twice the size of South Africas and a third larger than that of Egypt. It is also the continents most populous state, with 180 million people, its largest Muslim country, and its largest democracy. The president has visited every major country on the continent except Nigeria, and it would be a mistake for him to leave the White House without a stop in Lagos or Abuja. Some have suggested that security may be a concern because of Boko Haram, but if the president can travel safely to Nairobi, where al Shabaab has carried out high profile attacks in the center of the city, he should be able to travel safely to Abuja or Lagos. He is bound to make one more trip to Europe, and a stop in Nigeria similar to his 2009 visit to Ghana would not be a major diversion. Co-host a regional summit on democracy in west Africa: Strengthening democracy institutions, promoting good governance and supporting free and fair elections has been a major priority for the Obama administration in Africa. During his first official visit to the continent as president in July 2009, President Obama spoke eloquently before the Ghanaian Parliament about the importance of democracy and good governance and the need to create more strong institutions, not more strong men. With a growing number of African leaders attempting to extend their terms of office, democracy remains fragile across the continent. The president could give democracy in Africa a boost and reaffirm Americas strong commitment to Africas political progress by hosting a conference in West Africa with the democratically-elected leaders of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Support Nigerias permanent membership in the G20: President Obama has said that he wants to ensure that Africa has a place at the table to participate in the deliberations concerning major global political and economic issues. One way to accomplish that is to expand or reorganize the G20 group of nations to include Nigeria as a permanent member of this important global organization. Nigeria is already more important than several of the current G20 members, notably Argentina and South Africa, and over the next two decades it will become one of the worlds mega states, eclipsing several other G20 members in the size of its economy, population and regional influence. It would also be one of the G20s largest democracies. The administration should make the inclusion of Nigeria a priority over the next 12 months. Press for the passage of the Electrify Africa legislation: Power Africa is one of President Obamas most important signature initiatives. In the worlds most energy deficient and starved continent, it is intended to increase Africas power output by 30,000 megawatts over the next decade or two. But like a number of recent White House initiatives, Power Africa is not backed by any legislative mandate and could be easily brushed aside after the Obama administration leaves office. The program enjoys bi-partisan support in the Congress and the administration needs to work with congressional leaders to prioritize the passage of the Electrify Africa legislation. At the same time, the administration needs to create a senior level Power Africa czar to manage the program and consider moving interagency responsibility for oversight from USAID to a cabinet level department. Instruct USAID to establish a permanent democracy fund: If democracy promotion is an important priority, it should be funded adequately and on a long-term basis. Today that is not the case. Funding for democracy has declined sharply during Obamas second term despite the presidents recent speeches in Nairobi and Addis Ababa, and at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Dedicated and hard-to-reprogram funds should be allocated to strengthen African judiciaries and legislatures, to promote civil society groups and the media, to assist womens organizations and youth groups and to support domestic and international election monitoring. Funds should also be made available to assist local organizations to undertake parallel vote counts, to aid local election commissions and to prevent pre- and post-election violence. Invite Tanzanias newly elected President John Magufuli to the White House: Tanzania is the most populous state and the largest democracy in East Africa. It is also one of the largest recipients of U.S. development assistance and a participant in all of Washingtons major economic initiatives. In late October, Tanzania held presidential and parliamentary elections. The elections on the mainland went well, but those on the island of Zanzibar were disputed. President John Pombe Magufuli, a reform-minded academic-turned-politician, was elected without dispute, making him Tanzanias fifth democratically-elected president in a row. Although the Zanzibar election remains unresolved, it is important to reach out to Tanzanias new president early in his tenure to continue to foster the strong relationship between Dar es Salaam and Washington. This is particularly important since President Magufuli does not have any major ties with the United States.Tanzania also has a critical role to play in East African peace-building issues, particularly in Burundi and the eastern Congo. Early political consultations with President Magufuli and his new foreign minister, Dr. Augustine Mahiga, could prove valuable in promoting stability in the Great Lakes region. Send Secretary of State John Kerry to Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and the Republic of the Congo: The Great Lakes Region of Central Africa is one of the most volatile and unstable regions in Africa, with daily political and ethnic violence in Burundi, and with the leaders of Rwanda, the DRC and the Congo threatening to extend themselves in office in violation of their constitutions. Although time is running out, there is still an opportunity to prevent further democratic backsliding and the serious instability and violence that will almost certainly be unleashed as we are already seeing in Burundi. High level engagement with the leaders in the region is required. An extended visit by Secretary Kerry to the DRC, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi would be a strong signal of Washingtons deep concern and interest in the regions negative political and security trajectory. Without serious engagement with the leaders on the ground, there will be no meaningful progress. Open a U.S. consulate in northern Nigeria and a full embassy in Mogadishu: The establishment of a consulate in northern Nigeria is long overdue. More than half of Nigerias 180 million people live in the northern part of the country, an area of serious political and security concern. It is also the largest Muslim region in Africa and the largest Muslim region in the world where there is no full-time U.S. diplomatic presence. A U.S. diplomatic mission would advance long-term political, economic and security interests in the region and help Nigeria to deal with the economic, social and security challenges it faces there. A consulate in Kaduna, which once had one, or Kano would convey a strong signal to the Muslim community that Washington genuinely cares about the people in the region. Once the global poster child of a failed state, Somalia has made significant progress over the past seven years. In recognition of the progress, the U.S. re-established formal diplomatic relations with the Somali government in Mogadishu in January 2013. Before he leaves office, President Obama should take one more step. He should reaffirm Washingtons commitment to Somalia and recognize the countrys continuing progress by appointing a Senate-approved ambassador and opening a small, secure diplomatic embassy compound in downtown Mogadishu. Elevate U.S. diplomatic relations with Sudan: Relations between Washington and Khartoum have been prickly and frequently difficult for over two decades and the U.S. has not had a fully accredited, Senate-approved ambassador in Sudan since 1997. The Khartoum government has not been a good international actor. (Nor have Cuba, Myanmar or Iran.) The regime in Sudan has carried out mass atrocities in Darfur, prevented UN organizations from delivering food aid and humanitarian assistance to those in need and meddled in the affairs of several of its neighbors. But U.S.-imposed comprehensive sanctions on Khartoum have not isolated the country nor weakened its government. The U.S. should review its current policies toward Khartoum, and consider elevating its diplomatic relationship to full ambassadorial status in order to expand Americas dialogue and probe for new openings to resolve some of the countrys domestic and regional issues. The U.S. can do this while maintaining its sanctions regime on the government and its demands that President Omar al-Bashir address the serious human rights charges against him. Provide a status report on the results of the U.S.-Africa Leadership Summit: The U.S. Africa Leadership Summit has been one of the high points in the Obama administrations engagements in Africa. Leaders from 50 different countries participated in this first-of-a-kind gathering in Washington. A number of new programs were announced and a major business conference associated with the summit brought dozens of senior American business leaders into direct contact many for the very first time with African heads of state and prominent business leaders from the continent. The administration has never released a comprehensive report on the summit or a one-year progress report on the implementation of summit agreements. The issuance of some type of status report would be a useful vehicle for identifying summit objectives and initiatives as well as tracking the progress of the administrations efforts. The administration should do everything it can to sustain the goodwill and policy initiatives that emerged from the summit to help ensure that it does not become a one-off event. The administration should be applauded for its continuing efforts to promote greater American trade and commerce with Africa. The president has already announced that he plans to host another U.S.-Africa Business Summit similar to the day-long event his administration hosted during the 2014 Leadership Summit. The Business Summit is important, but it should not be the only thing on President Obamas Africa agenda for 2016. He has time to do more, and he should. Twelve months is a long time in the life of an administration and his foreign policy team should be building a more robust African agenda for his last year in office. Ambassador Carson was the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 2009 to 2012. He is currently a Senior Advisor at the United States Institute of Peace. Akesan, the central market in Oyo town was shut Monday morning, as rival gangs unleashed violence on the market and adjoining areas. The violence, the latest in what residents say has now become a regular occurrence, was between dreaded rival gangs known as Agunpopo and Ilaka. Guns, bottles, machetes and other dangerous weapons were freely used in the fighting. Those familiar with the immediate cause of the clash told PREMIUM TIMES the group from Ilaka had gone to Agunpopos carnival on Saturday night to cause trouble. The reprisal attack by the Agunpopo group on the Ilaka gang on Monday morning has now effectively shut down Akesan market, the usual battlefield of the two camps, traders and security officials said. Traders were prevented from opening their shops on Monday. Residents are now asking road users to divert from all roads leading to the market, including Apinni, Kanga, Garage and Palace roads. The actual number of casualties cannot be immediately ascertained, but a witness simply identified as Rasaq said one person was killed. The Oyo State Police Command could not be reached immediately for comments. The National Broadcasting Commission on Monday said its target was to switch over 80 per cent of Nigerians on Free-To-Air television services to digital services before the June 20, 2017 deadline. The Director General of NBC, Emeka Mba, made this known in a statement. Mr. Mba said Nigerians had been given detailed explanation on why the commission could not meet the International Telecommunication Unions June 17, 2015 deadline. The ITU had set June 17, 2015 for the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting. He said that the inability to meet the deadline was largely due to lack of funding. But we have also seized the initiative by working with our neighbours in the ECOWAS. ECOWAS are also looking up to us for leadership and partnership and we have agreed on a new Digital Switch Over (DSO) deadline of June 20, 2017. We in Nigeria are working day and night to meet this new deadline. Our target is that by that date, more than 80 per cent of Nigerians that depend on free-to-air television services are given adequate coverage before the final switchover. We cannot afford to leave anyone behind. Indeed, we are not leaving anyone behind, Mba said. He said that the commissions pilot state, Plateau, already had full digital signal coverage. Mr. Mba, however, recognised that the large majority of people who receive free-to-air television were yet to be on digital and could not afford digital television sets, nor subscribe to pay platforms. According to him, they will need Set Top Boxes to enable them enjoy the digital experience. He said the commission had, therefore, put in place a strategy for securing STB, which would enable everyone join the digital platform. Our STB strategy is to manufacture it here in Nigeria. In that regard, we are already working with 18 Nigerian companies which are at various stages of starting local production of STB. This will not only provide the needed equipment, but will also provide badly needed jobs for Nigerians. However, the first batch will be manufactured offshore, in order not to further delay the transition. Plateau State is almost ready for deployment, and we are already looking to the next set of states that will join the digital platform. We are at the same time encouraging the development of the digital platforms through the Pay TV services, now available in about 32 cities across Nigeria, Mr. Mba said. He said the NBC will start its public enlightenment this month. He said the commission would carry out grassroots campaigns to make sure that people were adequately and accurately informed of the change that was coming. (NAN) The outgoing Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Yushau Abubakar, a major general, has described officers and men of the theater as heroes, as many of them have put their lives on the line in defence of the nation. Mr. Abubakar, who is now Chief of Training and Operations at the Nigerian Army Headquarters, stated this while handing over to the new Theatre Commander, Hassan Umaru, also a major general. I am very delighted today, as I am leaving the leadership of the Operation Lafiya Dole a happy man because we have successfully done what is best to the military and the country at large, as we have degraded the capacity of the terrorists and Nigerians should appreciate hard work performed by the military and I am leaving the scene to a person who is already in the theater of war and is familiar with the terrain in the area of the operation, Mr. Abubakar said. I consider all of you as my heroes, as all of you have contributed to the feat we achieved in the war against insurgency within the theater. My redeployment to the Army headquarters is an indication of the confidence the military high command has in us and I urge you to extend the gesture to my successor. Also handing over, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Lamidi Adeosun, a major general, urged officers and men of the Division to cooperate with his successor, Victor Ezugwu, a brigadier general, who he described as a fine infantry officer that will continue the good work until the terrorists are completely wiped out. Mr. Adeosun is now heading to the Multinational Joint TaskForce (MNJTF), with headquarters in Chad. The members of the #BringBackOurGirls movement will be marching to the State House, Abuja, on January 14 to re-engage with President Muhammadu Buhari, the group has said in a statement. The families of the kidnapped Chibok girls, the Chibok community, and sympathisers of the girls who were abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, in April 2014, are expected to be part of the march. The group said it noted with great dismay that the issue of rescue of the kidnapped girls and other citizens in Boko Haram captivity did not feature in the presidents New Year address to the nation. The implication of such a deliberate omission is not lost on us, the group said in a statement signed by its coordinators Aisha Yesufu, Oby Ezekwesili, and Hadiza Bala Usman. We shall meet at Unity Fountain as from 8.30 a.m. that day to proceed on the march. We have already despatched a letter to the president, duly acknowledged by State House officials. It would be exactly 21 months on January 14 since armed Boko Haram terrorists stormed the girls school hostel in Borno State, in the dead of the night, to abduct over 200 girls. Despite repeated promises by the government that it would rescue the students, their whereabouts remained unknown. During his maiden presidential chat last week, Mr. Buhari said he was yet to get a credible intelligence on the girls location. The #BringBackOurGirls movement noted that the president, during his inaugural speech on May 29 last year, declared that his government would not claim to have defeated Boko Haram until the kidnapped girls and other hostages have been rescued. In October last year, Mr. Buhari issued a December 31 deadline for the final routing of the terrorists, one month after he told the BBC that security agents could spot the girls location in Sambisa forest. It was utterly shocking when the president declared in a BBC interview on 24 December that the terrorists had been technically defeated without referencing the rescue of our Chibok girls whom he had set as the benchmark for measuring such success. We are extremely disappointed that seven months after his strong promise at inauguration and six months after his pledge to the parents, Chibok community and our Movement that he would rescue the 219 daughters of Nigeria, his statement was lacking in urgency and assurance of strategy for result. Further, that the President gave the impression of a reactive approach of waiting for credible Boko Haram leadership to tell us whether our girls are alive or not, falls disappointingly short of the proactive feedback we expected. Our Movement therefore refuses to accept that lack of credible intelligence on our girls whereabouts as a tenable reason for the evident lack of progress in rescuing our ChibokGirls. The group urged the federal government to make public the General Sabo fact-finding committee report on the abduction of the Chibok girls. The federal government should investigate all statements preciously made by state actors and/or high-ranking military officers that we know where the Chibok girls are, with the view to getting at the bottom of the matter on our girls whereabouts. The federal government should immediately set up a search and rescue team to find our Chibok girls. KADA (the Chibok community) strongly demands that President Muhammadu Buhari gives the rescue of our abducted Chibok girls the priority attention it deserves; as Boko Haram cannot be said to have been defeated technically or otherwise without the safe return of our abducted daughters. Many people expressed pity for Kwasi Kwarteng as he was summarily thrown under the bus by PM Liz Truss on... Internally displaced persons in Adamawa State who received food and relief items in December put religious and sectarian differences aside to thank their benefactors and pray for them. At Churches and Mosques in Jimeta-Yola, and at other distribution points in the seven Local Government Areas most hit by the insurgency, grateful IDPs offered prayers for the donors, as well as for the members of the Adamawa Peace Initiative, for continuously supplying the breadlines, even as governments and local NGOs battle to contain the humanitarian crisis in the northeast region of the country. Medicines, blankets, vegetable oil, spaghetti, seasonings, salt, sugar, and rice that the IDPs received were bought with donations from three prominent philanthropists: Mohammed Indimi, Aliko Dangote, and AUN Founder, Atiku Abubakar. The AUN founder has been a leader in supplying continuous financial support for the IDPs since the universitys involvement with their feeding more than a year ago. At the St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral Church, Jimeta, where 15,500 families were served in three distributions, a Muslim woman, Amina Mamman, joined the Bishop of Yola Catholic Diocese, Stephen Mamza, in leading prayers for peace in Nigeria and in expressing appreciation to those who made the donations to support IDPs in the state. Six hundred families received food and relief items at the Adamawa State headquarters of the Jamatu Nasril Islam, in Jimeta, on December 13, where JNI officials, Gambo Jika and Fadimatu Ahmad Marafa, led IDPs to offer prayers. It was a similar story at the New Life Gospel Centre, Demsawo, Deeper Life Camp, and at other centres, where volunteers from the American University of Nigeria and Adamawa Peace Initiative distributed the food and relief items donated by Dangote Foundation. IDPs and local officials took turns to thank the donors, the peacemakers, Governor Mohammed Jibrilla of Adamawa State, and the volunteers who had worked tirelessly to alleviate their suffering during the year. All through December, the AUN-API Team supplied food, medicines and relief materials to over 163,500 households through local religious and community-based organizations in the state. Humanitarian aid was also sent to IDPs who had relocated to their destroyed homes in the most insurgency-hit areas, through local contacts networking with AUN-API. According to the Coordinator of Relief for AUN-API, Bello Abdullahi, supplies were sent to IDPs in Maiha, Mubi North and South, Hong, Gombi, Michika, and Madagali LGAs through trusted API members working in those areas who ensured effective and accountable distribution of relief materials. Coordinator of the Madagali distribution and President of Kinjir Foundation, Saleh Kinjir, confirmed that over 552,000 households received supplies from the Adamawa Peacemakers since the crisis peaked in 2014 through local partners of AUN-API including Kinjir Foundation, JIBWIS, Upper Room Cathedral and the Adamawa Muslim Council. The food and medicines sent to IDPs in the seven most affected Local Governments were procured with a N100million donation which came from oil and gas tycoon, Mohammed Indimi, and which was passed on to API by the Governor of Adamawa State, Mohammed Jibrilla, as well as funds given by former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. On October 14, an AUN-API team led by Bishop Mamza, Imam Dauda Bello and AUNs Head of Security, Dr. Lionel Rawlins, dispatched supplies in a military-backed convoy to most of the worst-hit areas accompanied by foreign and local journalists. Meanwhile, AUN President, Dr. Margee Ensign, who chairs the API, said the organization has initiated numerous programmes in the community to benefit both indigenes and IDPs. We have the all-year-long Peace Through Sports program, two major income-generating projects for community women, and a new literacy program christened Technology Enhanced Learning for All. Under the literacy programme, funded by the US Government, 20, 000 vulnerable youth, including out-of-school children, displaced children, and those disadvantaged in schools who are not now learning how to read, will benefit. It has not been an easy year, or an easy Christmas, in this part of Nigeria, she concluded. But there has always been hope, there has always been remarkable generosity, and, as befitting this season, there has always been goodwill. At least 149 drug dealers arrested by the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency were convicted in 2015, the agency has said. In a statement Monday, the NDLEA said the convicts included three culprits who bagged life imprisonment with hard labour. One of the convicts will spend 25 years behind bars and another will spend 17 years in prison, a statement by agencys spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju. Four others got 15 years each. Another four convicts were sentenced to 10 years each while 19 others got five years each, it said. All the suspects were convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos. NDLEAs acting chairman, Roli Bode-George, described the convictions as impressive and capable of discouraging people from drug trafficking. These convictions are strong enough to deter other from drug trafficking, said Mrs. Bode-George. This is highly impressive and motivating to the agency for the time and material resources spent in arrest and prosecution of drug dealers, she said. The Lagos State commander of the NDLEA, Sule Aliyu, said in 2015, about 164 other cases were pending as at December 31. The command in 2015 also seized a total 7,345.87 kilogrammes of various narcotic drugs mainly cannabis which is commonly called hemp and arrested 531 suspected drug dealers comprising 507 males and 24 females, he said. According to the NDLEA, those who got life sentence include Abiodun Elemoro, 29, of Palm Church Street, Lagos Island, convicted on January 29, 2015 for being in possession of 30.5 grammes of cocaine; Sule Ibrahim, 37, of Mopo Alayo village Okun Ajah Lagos, convicted October 20, 2015 for possessing 11.8kg of cannabis and; Aluagwu Lawrence, 32, of Iju Ishaga Lagos convicted December 9, 2015 for possessing 220 grammes of cannabis. Also, Amaechi Igwe, 37, of Mile 12 Market, Lagos got twenty-five years imprisonment for dealing in 2.7 grammes of cocaine. Jeremiah Aernan, NDLEA Lagos State Command Prosecuting Counsel, said the command surpassed its previous number of convictions in 2014. Winning 149 cases in a year is massive, he said. This has surpassed the 123 convictions recorded in 2014. Although the work load is tasking as the only prosecutor in the command, I am glad with the quality convictions, he added. One of Nigerias foremost anti-corruption coalitions, the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has challenged all the 36 ministers in President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet, to publicly declare their assets in the light of the ongoing war against corruption In a statement Sunday, the coalition said through its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, that by publicly declaring their assets, the ministers would be demonstrating their readiness to complement the presidents zero tolerance for corruption and promise of a transparent government. According to CSNAC, President Buhari and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, have laid a good precedence by keeping in line with Section 140 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), by declaring their assets publicly. This was also in fulfilment of their campaign promise of running a transparent government as well as eradicating corruption in the country. Public declaration of assets usually aids the assessment of public officers and will help in monitoring of public office holders and ultimately reveal those who corruptly enriched themselves while in office, paving way for proper punishment and sanctions against them. As public officers it is expected that the ministers should also declare their assets in line with this administrations quest to run a transparent and corrupt free government. With the President and his Vice having shown a great example by declaring their assets, the ministers should also follow suit without further delay. The President, in his my covenant with Nigerians, promised to encourage his ministers to publicly declare their assets. The President is hereby reminded of his promise and called to act appropriately. CSNAC therefore calls on all ministers to publicly declare their assets as a matter of priority. By so doing, they will have shown their readiness to complement the Presidents zero tolerance for corruption and promise in the actualisation of a transparent and corrupt free Nigeria. The social intervention programmes of the Buhari presidency for which about half a trillion naira has been proposed in the 2016 budget, is not a one-off scheme, but a combination of several well-thought out programmes emphasizing direct connections with the extremely poor, and the needy among other categories of Nigerians. This explanation was offered Sunday by Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, during a chat with the journalists. According to him, the plan of the Buhari presidency is not only comprehensive but has taken care of some of the factors that led to the failure of previous poverty alleviation schemes put in place in the past. One of the major difference here is that the social intervention programme such as the Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT, would be a direct transfer of N5000 monthly to the extremely poor among us, Mr. Akande said. And this is a safety net that several advanced nations have put in place long time in their history often at times of economic challenges. The money would be paid directly to the people concerned on the condition of school enrollment and immunization. This way we are expanding school enrollment and also assuring physical well-being. Besides, he explained that the School Feeding Programme, another aspect of the social intervention programmes, would be entirely homegrown, unlike previous federal government plans in the past which relied on importation. He said the homegrown school feeding programme will commence in public primary schools in the new year, providing adequate nutrition to school children, promoting local farming, boost agriculture and create jobs and wealth locally. We have experts working in the presidency, collaborating with experts from global bodies who together bring to bear international best practices working on how best to implement these programmes. I can tell you that no sooner President Buhari resumed work, that many of this experts have been meeting and planning on how best to implement these plans. We are not talking here of something hurriedly put together or a programme where some consultants would take the huge chunk of the resources. Also, as part of the half a trillion Naira to be spent, there is in the budget proposals a provision of no fewer than one million jobs in 2016, including 500,000 graduate-youths to be engaged as teachers and another 500,000 non-graduate unemployed people who would be trained as artisans, making a total creation of about one million direct jobs, Mr. Akande said. He added that the presidency is aware of past failures in the poverty alleviation efforts and determined not to repeat them. As the President disclosed during the budget speech, he has asked the Vice President to coordinate the programmes and I can tell you that serious work is already apace, Mr. Akande added. He reiterated that for the first time in Nigerias budgetary history, the federal government would be directly intervening in lifting people out of poverty through a series of measures already proposed totaling N500B, or about nine per cent of the budget itself. Through these measures and for the first time, the budget is paying attention to the problem of poverty in a proper and direct way. Besides, another one million extremely poor and disabled Nigerians would also benefit from the first phase of the Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT Scheme proposed in the 2016 appropriation bill to enable them live decently. There will also be the provision of affordable, very low cost loans to market women and artisans to enable them enlarge and expand their trades, he added. Suspected gunmen attacked two settlements in Udeni Ruwa District, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nararawa state, on Sunday night, killing 12 people. Five of the victims drowned while trying to escape to the hinterland. A witness, John Ogah, in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, claimed the attackers were herdsmen who invaded Okpaya, a riverine village. That could not be independently verified by this newspaper. Mr. Ogah said the attackers touched a part of Udeni Ruwa, and killed eight persons, five from Okpaya and three others from Udeni Ruwa. According to our source, a family of five drowned in the River Benue. My brother, it is unfortunate, Fulani people attacked Okpaya, killed five of our people, burnt down the entire village on their way and attacked some persons in Udeni. They killed three people and all of us from Okpaya ran to neighbouring villages. The most annoying part is that a family man, lost his wife and three children while they were on their way to Loko through a boat. The police in the state are yet to confirm the incident, but residents of the area say the local police stationed in Udeni Ruwa had visited the scene. Mr. Ogah explained that the attackers invaded Okpaya village at night, at about 11:00 p.m. Sunday night. He said the entire village was razed by the attackers. Udeni Ruwa district is the boundary between Nasarawa and Benue states. Following the incident, residents from nearby villages of Ogoboh, Akum, Kpandera, Akpanaja and Amaku are now living in fear. Already, some have relocated their children and their aged relatives to neighbouring communities. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Monday in Abuja denied an online publication calling for the submission of Curriculum Vitae (CV) by unemployed youths to the ministry. A statement signed by the Deputy Director of Press in the Ministry, Samuel Olowookere, said that the attention of the minister had been drawn to the online publication requesting unemployed Nigerian youths to submit application for employment in the ministry. It noted the online publication requested unemployed Nigerian youths to submit the CVs at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment Headquarters and its Zonal offices nationwide. The general public is hereby advised to disregard this false directive as it did not emanate from the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. In view of the apprehension the above false information has generated, it is pertinent to point out that the present administration is committed to the creation of decent employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed Nigerians. It has perfected plans for massive job creation through well thought out programmes such as Graduate Teachers Conversion Programme and Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), among others. The statement said that the general public would be informed in due course when any of these programmes/scheme would be rolled out. It, therefore, warned members of the public to disregard the publication, stressing that any person who does otherwise does so at his or her own risk. (NAN) The Office of the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, has stated that the PDP spokesperson is not aware of any investigation by any agency of government on his activities contrary to media report on Monday. The party said a news report that Mr. Metuh was undergoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was not correct. This office wishes to state categorically that the EFCC has never invited the National Publicity Secretary nor questioned him on any matter whatsoever since its inception. If indeed, the report is from the EFCC, then they should note that only in a period of tyranny are people investigated on the pages of the newspapers as a prelude for abuse and violation of their freedom and rights under the law. It is instructive to observe that a mere media campaign of calumny does not in any way whatsoever translate to any evidence of guilt. It is rather an evidence of infringement on the rights of the citizenry and manifestation of the reign of tyranny. In a democratic and civilized country, where there are issues that require investigations by such agencies, invitations are duly extended. However, to read daily of people being investigated in select newspapers betrays plots to portray them as guilty of fraud and crime, and targeted to convey the PDP as a corrupt party and the APC as party of Nigerians without sin. If we now have a system where citizens get to be investigated, tried and executed by planting stories in select newspapers, wherein then lies the need for our judicial process? Finally, we do hope that all concerned will be guided by due process at all times, the party said in a statement signed by Mr. Metuhs assistant, Richard Ihediwa. A top chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Akwa Ibom State, Eseme Eyiboh, on Sunday announced his resignation from the party. Mr. Eyiboh who made this known in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES, said he will officially join the All Progressives Congress on January 6. As a member of the PDP, he said he was the partys financial secretary in the state, executive chairman, Akwa Ibom Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission, and later a member of the House of Representatives. According to him, his progress indicated the foundational vision of the progenitors of PDP as a leadership recruitment nursery. But currently, he said, the PDP has breached the philosophy of its founding fathers by nurturing economic choristers who he said have converted the states commonwealth into their pockets. Its (PDP) present system has produced unprecedented crop of political dealers instead of inspirational leaders occasioning the increasing deficit in revenue yielding assets and sundry incentives to trigger community growth and prosperity, Mr. Eyiboh said. It is worthy to note that, as the reign of this development eclipse, poor ethical integrity and deteriorating institutions subsist, it is imperative for people with development orientation and appropriate mindset to come together and inject a new deal to stimulate the collective urges and aspirations of our people with functional confidence. I have, therefore, taken the hard choice of resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party and in preference for the platform of All Progressive Party where I hope to further my contributions to the development of the state and Nigeria. Mr. Eyiboh said the decision is predicated on the massive presence of people with ideas, capacity and character in the APC, who he said are capable of driving sustainable change in the state. 14112663-mmmain.jpg Singing River Health System has agreed to a settlement of federal litigation under which the health system will pay $149 million into the struggling employee pension fund, attorneys for both SRHS and retirees announced Monday. (File photo/Gulflive.com) PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Attorneys for a group of Singing River Health System retirees and SRHS both announced Monday a settlement of the health system's retirement fund litigation under which SRHS will pay $149 million into the pension fund over the next 35 years. Jim Reeves Attorney Jim Reeves, who represents a group of retirees in federal litigation against the health system, said the agreement ensures retirees will receive 100 percent of the pension payments owed. "Essentially, Singing River Hospital has agreed to pay back everything they were owed into the retirement plan while making key changes at the hospital, including resignation of trustees so that new leadership will be in place going forward." In addition to the payment of $149 million into the pension fund, SRHS has agreed to pay attorneys fees up to $6.45 million and $125,000 in expenses. The agreement has been submitted to U.S. Magistrate Louis Guirola Jr. for approval. Once Guirola signs off on the deal, a fairness hearing would likely be scheduled within the next 60 days, Reeves said. Health system attorney Kelly Sessoms said SRHS agreed to the deal "for the best interests of all involved." Kelly Sessoms The agreement will settle the federal class-action suits, as well as "some" of the state court cases, Sessoms said. "The proposed settlement has been the subject of intense negotiations among the attorneys for the respective parties," Sessoms said, "including three separate mediations in which all parties had the opportunity to participate, along with the able assistance of Judge David Houston as the mediator. "Singing River Health System believes that the proposed settlement is fair and reasonable for all concerned and will allow it to focus on its mission of providing quality health care to the citizens of Jackson County. Last month, the Jackson County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement under which the county will pay $13.6 million to the health system over the next 10 years for indigent care and to prevent bond default. Reeves said the combined amounts of the settlements represents the total amount SRHS failed to contribute to the pension plan between 2009 and 2014. Matthew Mestayer "Over the past year, our goal has been to obtain, for those in the pension plan, the benefits they were promised, said attorney Matthew Mestayer, Reeves' partner. "Jim and I have reviewed thousands of documents pertaining to SRHS's failed pension plan in our pursuit of this settlement that will secure the pension well into the future." The agreement also calls for the replacement of several members of the SRHS board of trustees as well as the appointment of a special fiduciary to monitor the settlement, pension fund and health system's financial status. The county's agreement with SRHS last month also contained those two provisions. The police in Ebonyi State have rescued a five-year-old boy abducted at Okwu-Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state. The state commissioner of police, Peace Abdallah, confirmed the incident, saying the victim was kidnapped at 9:45 pm on December 30. She said the prompt action of the police anti-kidnapping squad led to the timely rescue of the child. Ms. Abdallah added that with intelligence gathering and collaborative efforts of the family and the community, an aggressive search was launched. She said the search led to the victims rescue on January 3, after an attempt to collect ransom was foiled. On December 30, the boy and his two other siblings were said to have gone to their fathers provision store. When they reached the shop, their dad left the shop in their care and went to the house. Unfortunately, forgot his phone and asked the children to bring it while coming back to the house after the days business. The child is smart and used to holding the dads phone. The child was asked to take the phone to him where the dad was relaxing at about 9:45pm but the child diverted to another route that led to his kidnap. I visited the family myself with the AC CID. By the evening of January 2, after threatening to sell the child in Cross Rivers, they had to reduce the ransom from N1.5million to N100, 000. And you know, if you pay the ransom and you are not careful, you might also lose the child, said the commissioner. She said three persons had been arrested in connection with the kidnap. The police boss blamed the childs guardians for sending him on an errand at night. She admonished parents and guardians that it was illegal to think that a child should do any role in the family, especially at night. The CP further advised the public to be vigilant and inform the security agencies on suspicious movements around them. The All Progressive Congress (APC) has won all the chairmanship positions in Saturdays local council election in the state. The Chairman of the Zamfara State Independent Electoral Commission, Garba Muhammad, said on Sunday in Gusau that all the candidates of the party in the 14 councils had met all the provisions of the electoral law and had been declared winners of the election in their respective councils. He said 14 political parties including the Peoples Democratic Party, participated in the election. The PDP, however, in a statement signed by its State Chairman, Hassan Nasiha, on eve of the election, said it was boycotting the election. The party also said since it was still challenging the election of Governor Abdulaziz Yari at the Supreme Court, it would not participate in the election. Mr. Muhammad, Zamfara electoral agency boss, commended all stakeholders, including security agencies, for ensuring the success of the election. (NAN) The Executive Secretary, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Nasir Muhammad, on Monday, said the state government would spend over N500 million to upgrade its facilities. Mr. Muhammad, a medical doctor, disclosed this in Kano when he appeared before the state House of Assembly to defend the budget estimate for the board. He said the upgrade and renovation would cover primary healthcare centres across the 44 local government areas of the state. The scribe said the state government had also proposed a total budget estimate of N1.5 billion for the board in the states 2016 spending plan. He added that the board would embark on awareness campaign on protection against communicable and non-communicable diseases. The executive secretary explained that the campaign was part of measures to ensure healthy and productive environment in the state. The executive secretary expressed the boards commitment toward proper utilisation of the fund if approved. Meanwhile, the commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rabiu Bako, said the state government proposed to spend N10 million on the construction of model village markets across the 37 local government areas of the state. The commissioner stated this while also defending the budget estimate of the ministry. He said out of the proposed N6.1 billion for the ministry, over N20 million was earmarked for youth and women skills acquisition programmes across the state. (NAN) At least seven people were killed while 17 others sustained various degrees of injuries on Monday, in an auto accident along Lagos-Ore-Benin Expressway. A witness said the crash occurred at the Sagamu/Iperu Remo junction when a Toyota Hummer passenger bus with Lagos registration number, BDG 789 XJ, crashed into a Mazda passenger bus with Ondo registration number, REE 248 XA. He said the Toyota was carrying passengers who were returning to Lagos from their Christmas festival in the Eastern part of Nigeria. According to him, the driver of the Toyota lost control and veered off his lane, crossing the median and crashing into the Mazda going outwards Sagamu. When contacted, Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Adegoke Adetunji, confirmed the accident to journalists in Abeokuta. While attributing the accident to speed, Mr. Adetunji explained that seven people died out of the 28 passengers involved in the crash. The FRSC chief further explained that those rescued alive had been taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu for medical attention. He said the bodies of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the same hospital. The commander also added that it took the combined efforts of officers from his corps, the police as well as those of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency to clear the expressway to prevent another road crash as well as traffic gridlock in the area. ( Read 5038 Times) Its an important achievement in the Indian history when Acharya Sri shall initiate the journey of 300th book, who has been trying to safeguard the Indian literature and its values. On this auspicious occasion, a 10 days event called YATRA 300 is being organised to create worldwide positivity and Virtuousness. YATRA 300s message is FEEL THE CHANGE. The event of YATRA 300 is being organised at Somaiya ground located at Chunnabhatti- Sion.Since Acharya Sri has been able to make this memorable journey of literature with the blessings of Goddess Saraswati, YATRA 300 will also witness the 40ft high idol of Goddess Saraswati and its temple.Due to Innate belief of followers on the famous Jain pilgrimage, Sankeshwar Tirth, a replica of Sankeshwar Tirth shall be `crafted for the first time in Mumbai. The key problem of todays society is that the youth is distancing away from the traditions. YATRA 300s 4 Exhibitions Zone shall also try to re engage the youth community with the tradition. The 4 Exhibitions Zones are technology based zones. Out of which, the first zone is Fly Zone , the Smart city. The Smart City displays the collection of Acharya Sri 300 books in an innovative manner.The smart city has houses, schools, stock exchange, malls, hospitals etc and each one of this shares life saving message. For instance, the house displays the family based books along with the techniques to revive the broken relationships, the school in the Smart City shall teach the importance of Moral Education through career guidance by Acharya Sri, the stock exchange in Smart City will teach us the conduct ethical behaviour in our professional life.To conclude in brief, we are assured that all visitors shall experience the change in event of YATRA 300. The event shall be a exceptional guide to lead a happy life and one shall feel rejuvenated with lots of confidence imbibed in them. You will miss a life time opportunity if you fail to visit. So please make your availability to attend this event.Anandi Ben Patel,Chief Minister of Gujrat came specially to take blessing of Param Pujya Acharya Ratnasunderji Maharaj saheb .RSS President Mohan Bhagwat was happy to be part of this event. Wendy's has pledged that it will switch exclusively to cage-free eggs by 2020 throughout its U.S. and Canadian locations. Photo by David Paul Morris/For The HSUS 3.9K shares Were starting 2016 where we left off in 2015 with major news in our ongoing campaign to end the era of intensive confinement of hens and breeding sows. Today we announce with Wendys, the worlds third largest fast food chain, that the company is taking another big step forward on the farm animal welfare front. Working with The HSUS, the Ohio-based fast-food giant has pledged that it will switch exclusively to cage-free eggs by 2020 throughout its U.S. and Canadian locations. This isnt the first time Wendys and The HSUS have worked together on continued progress for animals. In 2012, Wendys committed to eliminate gestation crates from its supply chain with a timeline. In 2014, it began requiring updates from its pork suppliers on their progress shifting to group housing. This past year, the company also began offering an all-vegan black bean burger at test locations, hoping it would become a fixture on its national menu. Im not sure anyone couldve predicted the cascade of announcements on cage confinement of laying hens that The HSUS has generated in the past year. Nearly every top restaurant chain (McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, etc.), food manufacturer (Nestle, Unilever, General Mills, etc.), and food service company (Compass Group, Aramark, Sodexo, etc.) has committed to going 100 percent cage-free with timelines. Costco became the first major supermarket chain to announce a commitment in December, and it alone sells more than four billion eggs a year. The Wendys commitment coincides with Smithfield, the worlds largest pork company, announcing today that 81.8 percent of its domestic company-owned operations have shifted to sow group housing and the completion to 100 percent will occur by 2017. According to its plans, its international operationsincluding those in Mexicoand its U.S. contractors, will all exclusively use sow group housing by 2022. A decade ago, there was a smug view within certain sectors of animal agriculture that these confinement systems were untouchable, and that they were the only practical means of production in a world with an expanding human population and a consumer base that demanded the most inexpensive food. That was a gross misjudgment on their part. Change is here, and its happening on so many fronts on the production and retail side and its being driven by a firm view among consumers that animals built to move should be allowed to move. Stay tuned as we make 2016 the year in which no major food company is left without a policy to eliminate cages and crates from their supply chains. Thats our goal, and we want you to join us in achieving this outcome, in order to improve the lives of tens of millions of creatures who need our voices and depend on our resolve and, ultimately, our success. 3.9K shares 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. Jennifer Diaz, Esq., former shareholder and chair of the Customs and International Trade practice group in the Miami office of law firm Becker & Poliakoff, has announced the opening of DIAZ TRADE LAW, P.A. Jennifer Diaz - Headshot Contact Diaz Trade Law, P.A. Ina Melceras, Press Contact ***@diaztradelaw.com Diaz Trade Law, P.A.Ina Melceras, Press Contact End -- Jennifer Diaz (http://diaztradelaw.com/jennifer-diaz/), Esq., former shareholder and chair of the Customs and International Trade practice group in the Miami office of law firm Becker & Poliakoff, has announced the opening of DIAZ TRADE LAW, P.A., specializing in Customs and International Trade Legal Services.Ms. Diaz is Board Certified in International Law by the Florida Bar. She received a law degree from Nova Southeastern University and a bachelors degree from the University of Miami. Throughout her career, Diaz has been recognized as an outstanding leader and since 2012 has been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, is AV Rated, and has received numerous awards and accolades including: 40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of South Florida award, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Winner of 2015 AXA Advisors Global Businesswomen of the Year Award; Outstanding Committee Outreach Award, Young Interest Network (YIN) Co-Chair, American Bar Association;International Womens Day Honoree, World Trade Center.Ms. Diaz is an expert in working with the many Federal agencies that regulate trade and prides herself on being proactive and results oriented on behalf of clients. She is a sought after professional speaker and writer, known for engaging her audiences and easily explaining dense subject matter.Diaz Trade Law represents global clients of every size, from individuals and small businesses to Fortune 500 companies in import and/or export compliance and enforcement mitigation services. The firm has expertise in assisting companies in successfully complying with the vast U. S. federal laws and regulations for import and export transactions as well as supply chain security. We are passionate about developing strategies with clients to achieve successful results while complying with U.S. government agencies. For more information, visit: www.diaztradelaw.com The Mitsubishi crossover utility vehicle just earned the highest safety award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and is available now to Fishers and Indianapolis drivers. 1 2 3 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander End -- Andy Mohr Mitsubishi is proud to announce that the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander was just awarded the Top Safety Pick+ award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Available to Indianapolis area drivers at the Fishers Mitsubishi dealer, the Outlander is the latest in a long line of family-friendly vehicles with off-road capabilities, and this new safety award likely cemented its place in many area drivers' garages.Don Swearingen, Mitsubishi Manufacturing North America's executive vice president, responded to the news by saying, Since its redesign in 2014, the Mitsubishi Outlander with available Forward Collision Mitigation has been an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+. With over 100 improvements from the previous model year, the 2016 Outlander truly serves as an ambassador for the brands dedication to superior safety and reliability."In order for a vehicle to earn Top Safety Pick+, it not only has to earn the highest safety score good from the IIHS on its crash tests, but must also feature an advanced or superior level of forward collision prevention/warning technology. Drivers who opt not to add on the new SEL Advanced Safety Package with forward collision warning will still have a Top Safety Pick vehicle, and unlike many competing models, that safety package and the coveted + can be added on at any trim level.In addition to receiving such high marks from the IIHS, the Outlander has a wide variety of standard and available features that make it easy to fit the needs of nearly any family or business. Four different trim levels and two different engines let drivers mix and match to build their ideal Outlander.To learn more about the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander , Fishers and Indianapolis drivers are encouraged to take it for a test drive at Andy Mohr Mitsubishi. Contact their sales team at 855-735-8727 or drop by their dealership at 13927 Trade Center Rd in Fishers. After a test drive, their on-site finance team will work to find the best solution to put a driver behind the wheel of this safe new SUV. Online Industry Gathers in Two Weeks for 8th annual Congress on Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry By: SMi Group Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry Contact SMi Group ***@smi-online.co.uk SMi Group End -- A snap shot of confirmed participants has just been realised for SMi's 8th annual conference ontaking place in 2 weeks time. The event has once again attracted a global audience featuring attendees from Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, Switzerland, United Kingdom and USA.Leading pharmaceutical marketing practitioners will gather in a fortnight to participate in debates on "pharma-safe"social media platforms, the reliability of mApps, online engagement, compliance, information sharing and future outlooks.As well as featuring two panel discussions and two pre-conference interactive workshops, the event will include over 15 topical presentations aimed to provide the pharmaceutical sector with effective social media strategic guidance and key updates on the latest online tools.Market expert Daniel Ghinn from Creation Healthcare, will open the conference by discussing the latest industry developments and exploring techniques to strengthen digital platforms for patients and pharma.Other event highlights include guidance on leveraging social media for patient insights and pharmacovigilance by ZS Associates; an industry perspective on strategy from Actelion; a clinical trials case study from Bristol Myers Squibb; a keynote address on patient leadership from NHS England, plus much more!This is just a snap shot of what will be covered. Visit the website to see the full agenda featuring presentations from Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, GE Healthcare, Lundbeck A/S and the Patient Information Forum.For those who are interested in attending, registration will be closing in two weeks time. Booking can be made online at: http://www.smi- online.co.uk/ pharmaceuticals/ uk/social-med... A snap shot of confirmed attendees is available in the downloads tab.Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry20 - 21 JAN 2016 | Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, London UKwww.social-media-pharma.comSponsored by Creation Pinpoint, Janrain and SynexusFollow the event on Twitter at #pharmasocialmedia--- end ---About SMi:Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the worldis most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at http://www.smi- online.co.uk RNA Therapeutics 2016, 15th & 16th February, Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, London UK By: SMi Group RNA Therapeutics 2016 Contact Teri Arri ***@smi-online.co.uk Teri Arri End -- SMi are delighted to have, Vice President of RNA Formulation and Drug Development at, present at the 7annual conference on RNA Therapeutics when it returns to London next month.With over 20 years of experience in academic research and pharmaceutical development, Dr Heinrich Haas helped build the formulation development and analytics unit which develops formulations for delivery of RNA and small molecules at BioNTech.Dr Haas has an active record of publications in peer-reviewed journals and patent applications in the field of drug delivery. His current professional focus is on liposome / nanoparticle products and formulations for targeted drug delivery.With a focus on chemical modifications of mRNA , his presentation entitled: The Therapeutic Utility of mRNA for the expression of Therapeutic Proteins, will discuss how to optimise expression of the specific therapeutic protein; robust delivery and release to minimize dosage frequency, immunogenicity and toxicity; and assesse intracellular function and human translatable results.Exploring game-changing developments of RNA-based nanotechnologies, the new agenda for RNA Therapeutics 2016 will provide progressive insights from many other industry leading biopharmaceutical companies such as: Sarepta Therapeutics, Rigontech, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Curevac, MiNA Therapeutics, Sylentis, GlobalAcorn, plus many more.A full speaker line-up and detailed conference agenda is available to download online at http://www.smi-online.co.uk/pharmaceuticals/uk/rnai-nano-technologyRNA Therapeutics15th and 16th February 2016Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, London UK---END---About SMi:Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the worldis most forward thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at http://www.smi- online.co.uk About BioNTech AG:BioNTech AG (Biopharmaceutical New Technologies, Mainz, Germany) develops innovative therapeutics and biomarker-based diagnostics. The company, founded in 2008, is the result of years of pioneering research and groundbreaking achievements. BioNTechs initial three digit million first-round financing was among the largest initial financing rounds in the history of the biopharmaceutical sector. BioNTech AG is a holding company; together with its subsidiaries, the company offers a spectrum of competencies, innovations and products under one strategic umbrella. More information can be found at http://biontech.de/ New Partner Rebecca E. Gwilt Joins Nixon Law Group, Health Law Firm, Establishes Richmond Healthcare Practice Contact Carrie Nixon, Managing Partner carrie.nixon@ nixonlawgroup.com 703.795.9763 Carrie Nixon, Managing Partner703.795.9763 End -- Nixon Law Group, a Virginia law firm focusing on healthcare law and the Affordable Care Act reforms, kicks off 2016 by welcoming Rebecca Gwilt, Esq. as Partner. Ms. Gwilt brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in health law, serving previously as counsel at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS"). In her new role, she will also lead the Richmond office of Nixon Law Group."I am so pleased to have Rebecca as a Partner at NLG," said Carrie Nixon, Esq., Managing Partner of Nixon Law Group. "She is an excellent lawyer, and her understanding of healthcare reform is a real asset to clients as they prepare for success in this new era of healthcare."Ms. Gwilt provides legal, regulatory, and business guidance to her clients, which include healthcare providers, payors, startups, and vendors serving the healthcare industry. She focuses in Health Information Technology (including mHealth and telehealth), value-based care models, healthcare privacy and security (including HIPAA), fraud and abuse counseling, and payor contracting. After graduating from the top-ranked Health Care Law program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Ms. Gwilt served at CMS, where she worked with the Presidents domestic policy counsel to develop Affordable Care Act (ACA) policy, guidance, regulations and technology contracts. She currently serves on the Boards of the Beacon Tree Foundation and the Powhatan Free Clinic, whose missions are to increase access to affordable health care services for under-served populations.Nixon Law Group, LLC is a healthcare law firm representing providers, payors, startups, and other players in the healthcare industry. We serve clients nationwide, with offices in Fairfax, VA, Richmond, VA, and Washington, DC. Nixon Law Group is a founding member of Healthcare Solutions Connection. Visit www.nixonlawgroup.com to learn more. Bail-Buddy announces full support for militia members serving Oregon territory with blanket coverage. By: CAA Inc. Screen Shot 2016-01-03 at 7.04.13 PM Contact Nathan Rothchild ***@bail-buddy.com Nathan Rothchild End --CAA: The occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge 30 miles southeast of Burns, Oregon is ground zero for an event that will sculpt American militia policy. Dwight Hammond (age 73) and Steven Hammond (46) where convicted of arson and scheduled to report to federal prison located in San Pedro, California.In 2001, the father and son duo organized controlled burns to 130 acres to ward off wildfires and reduce invasive plant species growth. Prosecutors claimed it was an attempt to cover up poaching and the two where convicted then sentenced to serve five years in federal prison. The Bundy family patriarch Ammon Bundy stated, that militia does not want to resort to violence but will not rule it out if authorities attempt to remove the occupiers.Bail-Buddy is a member only organization that functions as incarceration insurance. In short, an exclusive service that accepts calls coordinates releases and pays for member release from jail nationwide. Briefly after the story was published, Bail-Buddy released this statement. Founder/CEO of Bail-Buddy.comBail-Buddys political position in all of this is each American is endowed with civil liberties and rights from our founding fathers of the Nation at birth. Our objective is to restore the enjoyment of those liberties by attenuating economic hardships that inhibit freedom. We believe that every American, regardless of ethnical heritage and political background without diplomatic immunity should ask themselves one important question.Whos your Bail-Buddy?PLEASE DONATE, more information can be found at http://www.bail- buddy.com Dr. Huzaifa Khorikiwala of Wockhardt, Mr. Varun Khanna of BD India, Emcure Pharma, Slim Sutra, Bajaj Allianz,Abbott India,Molecule Communications,Koye Pharma shined at Pharma Leaders 8th Annual Awards 2015 Pharma Leaders Academy Contact Pharmaleaders ***@network7mediagroup.com Pharmaleaders End -- Mumbai, Maharashtra India. The 8Annual Pharmaceutical Leadership Summit & Business Leadership Awards was successfully concluded at the financial capital of india in Mumbai at Hotel Hilton today where more than 300 top leaders of the healthcare industry had gathered to be the part of the historic debate on Pharma Leaders 2015, Brand India Winning. Widely acclaimed in the healthcare industry as the pioneer in recognising the leaders of today & tomorrow, Pharma Leaders brought together veteran healthcare leaders under one plattform. The leadership Summit in the afternoon session debated crucial topics such as Healthcare Insurance, Medical Tourism, Challenges of Indian Pharma Industry. Hinduja Hospital CEO Mr. Gautam Khanna debated on the challenges of Indian Healthcare Insurance while Padma Sree Prof Dr. Shashank Joshi addressed on Brand India.Satya Brahma, founder of Pharmaleaders in the opening address lambasted the union government for the faulty healthcare reforms & policy paralysis. In a scathing attack to the policy makers, Satya said the Healthcare Challenges in India at present are of different dimensions & more of cleaning the system at the helm who are responsible for formulating laws, rules & regulations. While we cant ignore the concerns of the pharma companies facing complex issues in regulatory legal hurdles in IPR challenges, pricing &other issues related to patent regime. Pharmaleaders believe that the evolving global and domestic market dynamics are likely to result in significant opportunities and challenges for pharma companies operating in India, both Indian companies as well as Indian affiliates of MNC companies. Some key issue areas are already starting to capture the attention of leadership teams within the industry.The highlight of the seminar was the panel discussion on Will Innovations in India drive the next generation of global cosmetics Dermatology trends ? where countrys top doctors & industry debated on the latest innovations in the cosmetic Dermatology field. The panellists argued that the skin care category is going to be the the next big business area of the sector the world over & hence the industry will have a unique opportunity to see the latest technologies in this segment, presented by companies from different countries at the forthcoming in-cosmetics also the treatment process of the Cosmetic Dermatologists. India is considered by many as a hotbed of innovation. However, innovating successfully in India is far from easy. But, as we debate Breakthrough Innovation & Path-Breaking Treatment Process, success is rooted in three core principles of Demand-driven Innovation: demand-driven insight, demand-driven development, and pervasive leadership. Noted Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Viral Desai, Dr Manoj Khanna,Dr. Rashmi Shetty, Dr Nilyini G,Ms. Kiren Shrivastav, of Molecule Communications were among those part of the brainstorming session.Addressing the industry leaders & leading faces of the medical profession, Mr. Louis Banks who has often been referred to as the Godfather of Indian Jazz & the iconic music composer was the Chief Guest of the evening conferred to top achievers of the country & urged the industry to provide affordable medicines to the common masses in india.The Evening Award ceremony was marked by the presence of the top business leaders, Industry stalwarts, politicians, eminent healthcare leaders, medical professionals. Devart has released the upgraded version of dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server v3.8 with new Check Constraint generator. End -- Devart is a recognized vendor of professional DBtools for developers and DBAs.The company has announced a releaseof dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server v3.8 with Check Constraint Generator.The updated toolcontainstheCheck Constraint generator, which is automatically assigned to a column, for which a check constraint is defined. The generator yields values that satisfy the check constraint expression specified for the column.Additionallythreshold values can be set for Numeric and Date/Time columns from a generator that is next by relevance, i.e. the generator which would have been assigned to the column in case there was no Check Constraint generator.dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server is apowerful GUI tool for a fast generation of large volumes of SQL Server test table data. The productsupports all column data types and allows to define tables and columns for data generation, set value ranges, customize parameters for each column data type, preview data before generation, edit and save data generation scripts for the future use.To learn more visit https://www.devart.com/ dbforge/sql/ data-generator/ The new version of dbForge Data Generator for SQL Server is available for free during a 30-day trial period or theStandard Edition for $249.95.Devart is a recognized vendor of database connectivity solutions for Microsoft .NET and Embarcadero Delphi development platforms as well as database development and management software.Company's solutions support such databases as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, InterBase, Firebird, DB2, SQLite, etc.Along with database-oriented software, Devart offers productivity tools for Visual Studio and Skyvia, thecloud service for data integration, management and backup.For additional information about Devart, visit https://www.devart.com Kansai Nerolac Paints has partnered with Delhi, I Love You, (DILY), a 30-month movement of love. Initiated by film-maker Thomas Ellis and sculptor Aastha Chauhan the #mydillistory campaign is part of this movement to empower the people of Delhi. By: Kansai Nerolac Contact Jasmita Dhoni ***@nerolac.com Jasmita Dhoni End -- ~ Six winning #MyDilliStory tweets painted at one of Delhis busiest locations ISBT, Monastery Market ~inaugurated this collaborative initiativeKansai Nerolac Paints Ltd (KNPL), Indias leading industrial coatings manufacturer and the third largest decorative paint manufacturer, has partnered with Delhi, I Love You, (DILY), a 30-month movement of love. Initiated by film-maker Thomas Ellis and sculptor Aastha Chauhan the #mydillistory campaign is part of this movement. It is a way to empower the people of Delhi to reclaim the city and increase a sense of belonging among them.This unique city painting campaign by https://www.nerolac.com/decorative-paints will see winning tweets about peoples love for Delhi being painted along some of the citys busiest streets. Shri Kapil Misra, Delhi Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture & Languages, Water, Gurudwara Elections inaugurated this campaign by joining in the painting of six winning stories at the ISBT flyover, near Monastery Market. This marks the beginning of the campaign as tweets will now be painted across 40 prominent locations in Delhi. These stories were part of the entries in competition #MyDilliStory organized by Delhi, I Love you., Art and languages form an important part of Delhi and its culture. #MyDilliStory, an initiative curated by Delhi, I Love You and supported by the Delhi Government is one such initiative that aims to promote the use of 3 key languages of Delhi-Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi. It is a perfect blend of using local dialects to share the stories of Delhi by the people of Delhi and expressing them through art using public spaces."Paint is one of the best gifts you can give your home. Most of us repaint our homes during the festive season. Our city is also close to our hearts and is our home.The #MyDillyStory campaign is an initiative that celebrates Delhi, the beauty of this city, its people and their heart-warming stories. Painting positive memories and thoughts is a simple but powerful process that can transform the urban environment. While the winning stories that people from Delhi have shared will be hand-painted on prominent public walls and flyovers around the city, for us this initiative goes much far beyond this as we look at the city itself as a new creative canvas.states, "#MyDilliStory story is in fact the perfect example of what we at DILY are about. It is a project that got the government, private & educational institutes as well as creative practitioners together. A project that celebrates the city, its languages and its people."In partnership with The Delhi Government, Delhi Tourism, Nerolac Paints and support from PWD, Delhi, I Love You launched the #MyDilliStory campaign in September this year. This Twitter based competition invited people to share their stories, poems and quotes to celebrate the lively, rich and youthful spirit of Delhi. Out of the 8000 entries, 40 lucky winners were selected by a jury of eminent personalities from Delhi and their quotes are now being hand-painted on prominent public walls, flyovers around the city (with due credit given to the authors) by the city's signboard painters.The entries received were in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English which are also the key languages of Delhi. This project is also aimed at supporting signboard painters who have lost livelihood due to digital printing techniques, by giving them visibility on a local and international platform.The project has been a success with the gracious support of Shri Kapil Misra, Delhi Minister of Tourism and Shri Satyendra Kumar Jain, Delhi Minister for Health, Home, Public Works Department, Industries, and Power.With a rich heritage of over 90 years in the paint industry, Kansai Nerolac Paints is the leader in industrial coatings one of the largest paint companies in India with a significant presence is Sri Lanka and Nepal as well. A wholly owned subsidiary of Kansai Paints, the sixth largest paint company worldwide, Kansai Nerolac manufactures a diversified range of products ranging from decorative paint coatings for homes, offices, hospitals and hotels to sophisticated and high performance industrial coatings.Kansai Nerolac has established itself as a leader in product innovation with its recent Eco-friendly range of paint with low VOC and no added lead. The Impression Eco-clean & Impressions 24 Carat High definition paint in particular is powered by Micro Embedded Brightness Boosters MEBB technology that ensures unmatched brightness and vibrant colours. Through its green product portfolio, manufacturing process and awareness campaigns among influencers and customers Nerolac is actively promoting a sustainable future.Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ NerolacPaints.India Ameya BundelluPerfect RelationsM: 9820493003Email: abundellu@perfectrelations.com The Florida CANE Distillery will move Distillery and Tasting Room to Ybor City in Spring 2016. By: The Florida CANE Distillery The Florida CANE Distillery, Ybor City, FL End -- The Florida CANE Distillery will be relocating their Brandon, Florida tasting room and distillery to Ybor City to take advantage of the friendly Craft Distillery specific zoning changes Tampa City Council implemented last year. With a projected opening date of March 16, they will be moving into the historic El Encanto building on the corner of 15St and 8Ave, next to Cigar City Cider & Mead and across the street from the soon to open Rock Brothers Brewery.After over a year of exploring locations in Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, and Channelside, we chose a historic building in an up and coming section of Ybor City that best embodies our brand and who we are, said co-founder Pat OBrien. The Ybor location will allow us to open our doors full-time for tours and tastings, expand our production capacity, enable us to continue to launch new brands, and continue to experiment with new spirits.The Florida CANE Distillery tasting room will have regular hours for bottle sales, tours and distilling classes, while also featuring locally made items for sale in the gift shop. The current Brandon distillery and tasting room will remain open until the end of February. Since opening in September of 2013, there have been over 15,000 visitors to the tasting room, making it one of the most popular craft distilleries in the state.Co-Founder Lee Nelson is excited about taking inspiration from both the historic elements Ybor has to offer and the established artists and craftsmen that give Ybor its own unique style. Nelson said, This distillery was all about an idea taking the great resources we have here in Florida and Hillsborough County and aligning them to produce a world class product. In the past three years, weve seen bakers use our Key Lime flavors, local food trucks cook with our Jalapeno vodka, and ice cream parlors make decedent creations with our moonshine. When we embed our distillery into a creative community, particularly one that is surrounded by great bars and restaurants, well be able to get immediate feedback on our ideas and new products so we can innovate quickly.The Florida CANE Distillery has been steadily building an almost cultish following since it was founded in 2012. With three appearances at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and 8 awards at international spirits competitions, the small batch, hand crafted spirits are available across the state in over 300 retail locations. They currently produce Florida CANE flavored vodkas, Sunshine Moonshine, and Tamiami Gin. Already one of the bestselling westerns of 2015- Blood on the Plains picks up a prestigious award from one of the biggest writing groups in the world. By: Outlaws Publishing Blood on the Plains From John D. Fie Jr. Contact Outlaws Publishing ***@outlawspublishing.com Outlaws Publishing End -- Western writing star John D. Fie Jr. kicked off 2015 by receiving the prestigious Best Western award from the Writers Group. This group has over 30,000 members who vote for their favorite books in several genres.Fie, who signed with western speciality publisher Outlaws Publishing last year has released two bookshis first Blood on the Plains has been a constant bestseller and spent the holiday season riding high on the bestseller charts.Blood on the Plains tells the story of Matt Hutchins who survives a wagon train massacre to be taken in by the Indians and learns their ways.John D. Fie Jr. is currently working on his next book, and was unavailable for comment. Outlaws Publishing Chairman J.C. Hulsey was quoted as saying I always knew Blood on the Plains was a great readit should be one of the major hits of 2016.You can learn more about John D. Fie Jr. and Outlaws Publishing by visiting www.outlawspublishing.com. You can also find out more by emailing the office of J.C. Hulsey at jc@outlawspublishing.com By: Shelter Animal Reiki Association Contact Kathleen Prasad ***@animalreikisource.com 415-420-9783 Kathleen Prasad415-420-9783 End -- Entrepreneur, author, animal Reiki leader and animal lover Kathleen Prasad, together with her nonprofit Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA), announces the creation of the worlds very first World Animal Reiki Day, to be celebrated on February 5, 2016.The days mission is to raise awareness on a global scale of the healing benefits of Reiki for animals, as well as honor all animals as our spiritual teachers.I was inspired by my experience at the 2015 ARC International Reiki Conference in Australiawhen so many teachers from different lineages came together in unity for Reiki, says Prasad. I thought I would love to see that kind of unity and community in the world for animal Reiki. Just think how we could do so much good for animals all around the world by joining hands with Reiki!February 5 is a special day for Prasadits also the birthday of Dakota, a very special puppy she rescued from animal control in 1992. Since he is my first animal Reiki teacher, this day is also to honor him and his role in leading me on this path, she says.On Friday, February 5, from noon to 3 p.m. (PST), Prasad will mark the day by leading a special SARA-sponsored animal Reiki share at BrightHaven Holistic Animal Sanctuary in Sebastopol, California. Then at 1 p.m. on Google+, she will share a live message of healing and light for the global Reiki community, dedicated to the animals of the world. A photo contest will be held on SARAs Facebook page February 1-4; winners will receive a free treatment or signed copies of Prasads books.Shelters, sanctuaries, animal-welfare organizations, veterinary clinics, animal-related businesses and individuals worldwide who love animals are encouraged to organize World Animal Reiki Day celebrations and events in their local communities. They can also tweet their support with the hashtag #WorldAnimalReikiDay.SARA is a nonprofit organization that improves the lives of animals by promoting the use of Reiki in animal shelters, sanctuaries and rescues worldwide through education, training and the advancement of Reiki programs that meet the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. CMC has announced a new partnership with Family Reach, a foundation that provides support for the challenges of families dealing with cancer. By: CMC Food Inc. Contact Michael Culley ***@cmcfood.com Michael Culley End -- CMC Food Announces Partnership with Family Reach FoundationFanwood, NJ USA January 4, 2016 CMC has announced a new partnership with Family Reach, a foundation that provides support for the challenges of families dealing with cancer. As a financial lifeline for families fighting cancer, Family Reach was established in 1996 to assist families with a child or parent afflicted with cancer deal with the overwhelming aspects of the disease, from the financial to emotional burdens. Cancer treatment costs can be astronomical, which is where Family Reach comes in to help those families cover out-of-pocket medical expenses and everyday living costs, such as mortgage or rent payments, transportation, utilities, and even groceries.Family Reach collaborates with hospital social workers to provide urgent assistance to families nationwide in an effective manner. CMC recently vowed to contribute a share of the proceeds from The Farmers Hen eggs in an effort to make a difference for families in their communities and beyond. Purchasing a carton of The Farmers Hen eggs allows a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Family Reach cause and go to a family in need.CMC Food, together with Family Reach, believes everyone deserves a fair shot at beating cancer. However, with such high costs of treatment, many families are having to make the difficult choice whether to put food on the table or get cancer treatment for their child. Family Reach has made a commitment to ensuring that doesnt happen, and since 2003 has helped 25,000 people with the overwhelming financial burden that accompanies this devastating disease.CMC Food is a family-owned and operated egg supplier selling fresh shell eggs and egg products throughout the Northeast, with headquarters in Fanwood NJ. CMC is proud to service private label, local label and national branded eggs and egg products. Led by president Michael Culley, this retail and wholesale egg provider sells eggs of all kinds and sizes, such as cage free, organic, omega 3, and all-natural eggs, plus hard cooked peeled and shell-on eggs. Local and national branded products include Natures Design, Egglands Best, 4 Grain, and The Farmers Hen, available in cage free, organic, vegetarian, all natural and low cholesterol varieties to meet the growing health concerns of Americans.Now, when consumers buy a carton of The Farmers Hen eggs, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the efforts of Family Reach thanks to this new partnership.To learn more about Family Reach, please visit http://familyreach.org/ . For any questions regarding this press release or CMC Food in general, please contact CMC Food toll free at 888-569-5900 or locally at 732-382-5900, 282 South Ave Suite 104, Fanwood, NJ 07023. Visit www.cmcfood.com or http://cmcfood.com/giving-back/to learn more. By: Active Interest Media Equine Network Contact Active Interest Media Equine Network ***@aimmedia.com Active Interest Media Equine Network End -- Hope for Horses equine rescue was randomly selected by A Home for Every Horse to receive a $1,000 donation for horse health and veterinary expenses from Zoetis as the winner of the Picture Your Rescue giveaway. The Galt, California, based rescue plans to use the donation towards veterinary care, vaccinations and diagnostics for the more than 10 horses it helps to rehome each year.Zoetis sponsored the Picture Your Horse giveaway to promote meeting the health needs of all horses as a part of the launch of the first and only equine leptospirosis vaccine, LEPTO EQ INNOVATOR. A Home for Every Horse and Zoetis continue to encourage horse owners and enthusiasts to complete the online Leptospirosis Risk Assessment (http://bit.ly/EvaluateYourRisk)(http://bit.ly/EvaluateYourRisk)and evaluate their horses risk for equine leptospirosis.Equine leptospirosis is a costly and underdiagnosed disease that can affect the entire equine industry. Horse owners can now answer a few simple questions to help determine if their horse is at risk for leptospirosis and are able to print the results to initiate a conversation on prevention with their veterinarian.Zoetis continues to partner with A Home for Every Horse by providing rescues with assistance through the donation of health care products including STRONGIDPaste and WEST NILE-INNOVATOR. Rescue horses have many needs when they first arrive at rescues, and Zoetis actively supports A Home for Every Horse and shelters around the country helping provide rescues the ability to foster each in-coming horse.Equine.com and the Active Interest Media Equine Network joined forces with the American Horse Councils Unwanted Horse Coalition to launch A Home for Every Horse Project. If you want more information on rescue horses or you want to locate a rescue near you, please check out AHomeforEveryHorse.com This project helps find homes for Americas 170,000 to 200,000 horses in need of care and shelter. Heres how it works: Begin the search for your next equine partner at Equine.com ( http://www.equine.com/ ). You can search horses waiting for homes at nonprofit shelters across the country. Browse by rescue horse, or find a rescue organization in your area. Visit the sites servicessection to learn about your local rescue organizations. Find out how you can volunteer, donate, or simply spread the word. Look for upcoming stories on AHomeforEveryHorse.com related to horse rescue.If your 501(c)(3) rescue organization would like to join the A Home for Every Horse project please fill out the online application at AHomeforEveryHorse.com/join. Equine.com is part of the Active Interest Media Equine Network.The Equine Network provides, creates, and distributes relevant content and services to passionate horse enthusiasts while connecting them to each other and the marketplace. The Equine Network is the publisher of award-winning magazines: Horse&Rider, EQUUS, Dressage Today, The Trail Rider, Spin to Win Rodeo, American Cowboy, and Practical Horseman. The Equine Network also publishes a proprietary line of books and DVDs for sale through its store, HorseBooksEtc.com. The Equine Network also provides emergency roadside assistance through USRider, and is home to several websites including: EquiSearch.com, Equine.com, MyHorseDaily.com, DiscoverHorses.com, AmericanCowboy.com, and Horse-Journal.com.Zoetis (zo-EH-tis)is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 60 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented by diagnostic products and genetic tests and supported by a range of services. In 2014, the company generated annual revenue of $4.8 billion. With approximately 10,000 employees worldwide at the beginning of 2015, Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in 120 countries. For more information, visit www.zoetisUS.com. (https://www.zoetisus.com/) Real-time web monitoring service launches out of limited beta Opserv.io is monitoring system built on top of the Google Analytics service By: Opserv.io MIAMI - Jan. 4, 2016 - PRLog -- Opserv.io, a service for real-time website monitoring and alerts, released its production offering today. The service is designed for software development teams and companies with medium- and high-load websites, and provides unobtrusive monitoring using their existing Google Analytics installations. We are encouraged by the feedback received during the limited beta release, which included two major telecommunications companies from both the U.S. and Europe, said Opserv.io CTO Dmytro Salko. I consider this product a missing part of the Google Analytics package, stated Salko. When website traffic means money, you cant just rely on simple ping monitoring. You need to know there are real visitors who are taking real actions. Initially developed for internal use on a high-volume web traffic project, the service was expanded for public usage. The Opserv.io solution does not require any server-side integration because it connects to the Google Analytics API; a user of Googles analytics service needs only to configure their observers in their Opserv.io account to begin monitoring. While Google Analytics itself provides basic alerts, these alerts lack the sophistication and granular monitoring provided by Opserv.io observers, which allow for virtually limitless triggers over much shorter periods of time. As a result, high-traffic website owners are finding that they can increase the precision and accuracy of monitoring, accomplishing tasks not otherwise possible in Google Analytics alone. There are several interesting use-cases for Opserv.io, such as monitoring real-time error frequency, measuring changes to normal levels of incoming traffic from partners, and being alerted to aberrations with goal conversions as they occur. Contact Keith Ring ***@opserv.io Keith Ring End -- Opserv.io, a service for real-time website monitoring and alerts, released its production offering today. The service is designed for software development teams and companies with medium- and high-load websites, and provides unobtrusive monitoring using their existing Google Analytics installations. We are encouraged by the feedback received during the limited beta release, which included two major telecommunications companies from both the U.S. and Europe, said Opserv.io CTO Dmytro Salko.I consider this product a missing part of the Google Analytics package, stated Salko. When website traffic means money, you cant just rely on simple ping monitoring. You need to know there are real visitors who are taking real actions.Initially developed for internal use on a high-volume web traffic project, the service was expanded for public usage. The Opserv.io solution does not require any server-side integration because it connects to the Google Analytics API; a user of Googles analytics service needs only to configure their observers in their Opserv.io account to begin monitoring.While Google Analytics itself provides basic alerts, these alerts lack the sophistication and granular monitoring provided by Opserv.io observers, which allow for virtually limitless triggers over much shorter periods of time. As a result, high-traffic website owners are finding that they can increase the precision and accuracy of monitoring, accomplishing tasks not otherwise possible in Google Analytics alone. There are several interesting use-cases for Opserv.io, such as monitoring real-time error frequency, measuring changes to normal levels of incoming traffic from partners, and being alerted to aberrations with goal conversions as they occur. Email : ***@opserv.io Tags : Uptime , Monitoring , Analytics , Real Time Monitoring Industry : Internet , Marketing , Software Location : Miami - Florida - United States Subject : Services Account Phone Number Disclaimer Report Abuse Account Email AddressAccount Phone Number End -- CUSIP 98977W 20 OTCBB Symbol ZORM (Delisted)TUCSON, ARIZONA--(12/31/15) - Zoro Mining Corp. (OTCQB- ZORM Delisted)Zoro Mining Corp. (the Company) announces that, effective December 31, 2015, Frank Garcia, its CFO, has resigned to pursue other business opportunities.On Behalf of the BoardZORO MINING CORP./s/ Harold GardnerHarold GardnerInterim President and CEOSAFE HARBOR STATEMENTThis document may contain "forward-looking statements". Statements in this document, which are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. The risks and uncertainties that could affect future events or the Company's future financial performance are more fully described in the Company's quarterly reports (on Form 10Q filed in the United States), the Company's annual reports (on Form 10K in the United States) and the other recent filings on Form 8K filed in the United States. These filings are available at www.sec.gov in the United States. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information, including: (i) Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Media Contact Carrie Miller ***@peconiclanding.org 6315938247 Carrie Miller6315938247 End -- Peconic Landing has launched an aggressive recruitment campaign to highlight new career opportunities available at the Lifecare Retirement Community. The organization plans to fill approximately 60 full and part-time positions with openings at both entry and professional levels.The not-for-profit organization in September 2014 broke ground on a $44 million expansion to add 46 new apartments for Independent Living, a 16-suite Memory Care Center, a new 16-suite Short-Term Rehabilitation Center, as well as renovations to refresh its existing Community Center amenities. Completion of expansion efforts is on track for a Spring 2016 opening, with recruitment and job training beginning in January.We are excited to welcome new talent to our ever growing team and strive to make Peconic Landing an outstanding place to work, said Robert J. Syron, President and CEO. Peconic Landing truly values its team members as they are the greatest asset we have in achieving our mission and providing award-winning care.More than half of the available jobs are in the healthcare sector, including newly created positions to manage its state-of-the-art Memory Care Community. Additions to its Skilled Nursing Center, The Shores at Peconic Landing, have also opened up opportunities for RNs, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, and certified home health aides.The community will continue to offer educational opportunities for those interested in becoming a certified home health aide or a certified nursing assistant. All new employees will be required to complete memory care training, which will be provided on campus.Our innovative memory care model offers a unique opportunity for those who enjoy caring for others, said Gregory J. Garrett, Executive Vice President and Administrator of Health Services. While there will be extensive job training, caregivers will find this new model of resident-centered care truly rewarding.Additional hospitality positions throughout the community include cooking and server staff; security, grounds, maintenance, housekeeping, and drivers among other administrative positions. A full list of job descriptions and an employment application are currently available online at http://peconiclanding.com/ careers/job- opportunities/ Peconic Landing will host two job fairs for prospective employees to find out more about these opportunities on Thursday, January 14 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., or Saturday, January 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On-site interviews will be held for qualified candidates who are encouraged to bring their resume.With more than 220 employees, the organization is currently the second largest employer in Southold Town, and one of the largest on the East End. It will be investing more than $14.2 million on salaries and benefits for new and current employees in 2016, up from about $11.9 million in 2015.More than eighty-percent of our current staff resides within the Town of Southold, said Jane Willsey, Director of Human Resources. To meet our employment needs, we are going to have to attract talent from the Riverhead and South Fork community as well as the North Fork, which could be a challenge.In June, Peconic Landing was named the 6th best company to work for in the small/medium size business category by The New York State Society for Human Resource Management. The annual distinction program evaluates and ranks the best places of employment based on employee satisfaction and engagement, workplace benefits, practices, and policies.The New York State Society for Human Resource Management is an affiliate of the nations largest association devoted to human resources, serving the needs of and advancing the interests of the HR profession.# # #Peconic Landing is an innovative, not-for-profit CCAC-CARF-accredited continuing care retirement community (CCRC) located on the waterfront in Greenport, N.Y., on the North Fork of Long Island. Among its long list of achievements, Peconic Landing is the only equity-based LifeCare community in the state of New York. It is a member of LeadingAge and LeadingAge New York and embraces a healthy, active lifestyle infused with a sense of exploration, creativity and generosity of spirit. Wake Tech is the third fastest-growing large community college in the U.S., according to an analysis by Community College Week. End --Wake Tech is the third fastest-growing large community college in the U.S., according to an analysis by. The publication reports that while many community colleges are seeing enrollment declines, Wake Tech continues to buck the trend. Its analysis of the U.S. Department of Educations Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) found that Wake Tech grew by 10.4% from fall 2013 to fall 2014. That puts Wake Tech third on the fastest-growing list of public two-year colleges with enrollments of 10,000 students or higher. Wake Tech was one of only four that had double-digit increases.Wake Tech President Dr. Stephen Scott credits the strong enrollment growth to the countys growing population and the high-quality programs the college offers programs that put people to work and help businesses prosper. We work with business and industry to stay relevant, he says. Economic development officials identify clusters of need and we design programs to meet those needs.IPEDS counts full-time, first-time students enrolled in for-credit programs leading to degrees or other recognized credentials. Read the full article on www.ccweek.com Mosaic Harmony, an interfaith, multicultural community choir based in Northern Virginia proudly announces their participation and hosting of a concert in celebration of the 2016 United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week,on February 1, 2016 at 7pm. Mosaic Harmony Celebrating Over 20 Years Contact David North ***@mosaicharmony.org David North End -- (Oakton, VA) Mosaic Harmony, an interfaith, multicultural community choir based in Northern Virginia proudly announces their participation and hosting of a concert in celebration of the 2016 United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, at Unity of Fairfax Church in Oakton, Virginia on February 1, 2016 at 7:00pm. Invited choirs from various faith traditions will join them on the program and will be announced later this month. World Interfaith Harmony Week held annually, brings together thousands around the world. The February 1 concert, open to all, is entitled , celebrating the ability of the language of music to bring people together and focus on our common humanity rather than the differences that set us apart.Over their twenty-two year history, Mosaic Harmony has garnered praise and developed close ties from their varied performances at fundraisers, corporate events, educational institutions, churches, government agencies and private events in the Washington metropolitan area. The choir has received many awards most notably in 1997, they were chosen by the Fairfax County Human Rights Commission to receive its prestigious Human Rights Award and in 1998, were the recipient of the President's Initiative on Race as a model program that encourages participation of people from different racial backgrounds.. Mosaic Harmony was included on the White House web site as one of the country's Promising Practices, which highlights efforts to improve race relations and build One America. Other performances have included: the Bahai Black Awards Banquets/Bahai Conferences on Race Amity; a Millennium Celebration program at Addas Israel, Washington, DC (a conservative Hebrew temple) designed by the Interfaith Conference of Washington to bring together youth of nine major world religions; a sunrise ceremony millennial celebration beginning in Samoa, which spread across 27 countries; a wave of peaceful intention sponsored by the International Club of Budapest, consisting of former statesmen, Nobel laureates, writers, and scientists; the Finnish Embassy event; travel to Germany and Slovenia on a Goodwill Tour; sponsored a reciprocal visit by, the internationally known Slovenian choir that hosted Mosaic Harmony. In 2004, Habitat for Humanity, Northern Virginia Chapter was celebrated by a joint benefit concert venue shared with the Slovenian choir,, during their reciprocal Goodwill visit. In 2006, Slovenian choir, , silver medalists in the International Choir Olympics, was home-hosted and offered venues by Mosaic Harmony. Additional repeat performances at the Interfaith Choir Festival of Reston, Homeless in DC and Annapolis; the Lakota Nation; BODYWISE (a fitness program for seniors); Open Books, Open Hearts tutoring program; efforts to build a church in Dominican Republic, work with inner city youth in Atlanta, the Medical Benevolence Foundations home-based orphan care program for HIV/AIDS in Africa; Katrina flood relief; brain tumor cancer research all in an effort to assist these organization with their fundraising goals. The choir was also recognized Changemakersby Ashoka (www.Ashoka.org)and in 2006, provided, through their international newsletter, the seeds and structure for two interfaith childrens choirs in Jerusalem, Israel. Says North, producing a concert with friends for World Interfaith Harmony Week was a no brainer, clearly this is our wheelhouse, we live and believe in this mission.North, a successful songwriter in his own right, wrote the song One Humankind upon which the theme of the concert is based, with the intention of specifically using it in Mosaic Harmonys concerts and a natural tie in to their theme Make Us One. North invited other choirs who are like-minded in their approach to music and their place in the world to participate in the February 1 event, which Mosaic Harmony has committed to producing annually at various venues in the area. The free concert will be an opportunity to meet choirs from the area and to show that music is indeed the universal language that brings people together.For more information on Mosaic Harmony, please visit www.mosaicharmony.org . Media inquiries please contact promotions@mosaicharmony.org . For additional information on 2016 World Interfaith Harmony Week please visit www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com Honors included Professor and Employee of the Year, Service Awards, and More Media Contact tiffany@getpushing.com End -- Hodges University celebrated its 25th Anniversary in December with a holiday party and employee recognition ceremony. Dr. David Borofsky, Hodges University president, presented many honors, awards, and recognitions including service awards to employees ranging from 10 to 25 years at the university and partnership pins presented to long-time supporters of the institution. Some of the greatest honors of the evening included the naming of Professor Emeritus as well as Professor of the Year and Employee of the Year awards.Dr. Karen Locklear was named Professor Emeritus. Locklear, who retired in April, began her career at Hodges University as an assistant professor in 2003 and subsequently served as associate professor, program director, professor and chair. She was serving as dean of the Nichols School of Professional Studies when she retired.The Professor of the Year award was presented to Dr. Donald Forrer. A Johnson School of Business faculty member, Forrer has been with the university for 15 years and has built a great reputation for his dedication and loyal service. He built the first online department, implemented the Blackboard learning management system, put together the masters in public administration (MPA) program on campus, as well as strengthened the masters in business administration (MBA) program and chaired it for several years. He is well respected by his students and has published many journal papers with Hodges graduate students. Forrer has presented at several local and international platforms, and most recently was the keynote speaker at the Clute Institute International Business Conference in London, England. This past summer, Don redeveloped the MPA Program into a self-paced delivery format. Today, he is involved with the Strategic Planning Committee, The Hispanic Institute as well as other committees within the Johnson School of Business and the university. Don is an incredible and valuable asset to the Johnson School of Business and Hodges University commented Borofsky. When the university was in the process of strategic planning, Don did not hesitate to take the responsibility and assisted the president in facilitating the daylong planning event.The Employee of the Year award was presented to David Sanchez, maintenance supervisor at the universitys Naples campus. Sanchez is known among his peers for his high level of commitment, dedication and reliability. The community and guests of the university have seen him on campus ensuring events run smoothly and are successful, and can recognize him by his contagious smile and positive attitude. He has been a great team member with endless patience, commented Borofsky. Although I know that he does not have enough time in the day, he puts a smile on his face and gets things done. He finds solutions to our problems.For more information about Hodges University, please visit hodges.edu or call (239) 513-1122.Founded in 1990, Hodges University is a private, non-profit and one of Floridas leading institutions of higher learning. With campuses located in Naples and Fort Myers, the university uses its local roots and global reach to provide transformational, learner-driven educational opportunities for its students. In addition to offering associate, baccalaureate and graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines and delivery options, Hodges University enhances the ability of students to achieve personal and professional objectives through diverse educational experiences and programs including English as a Second Language and the Center for Lifelong Learning. For more information, call (239) 513-1122 or visit hodges.edu. Contact Alec Peche, GBSW Publishing ***@alecpeche.com Alec Peche, GBSW Publishing End --Morgan Hill, CA. January 4, 2016- Author and resident Alec Peche releases her sixth novel - Murder At The Podium. This is the sixth book of the Jill Quint, MD series and its set in Texas. A nurse is murdered while delivering a presentation at a conference. Its a murder thriller filled with stories of the oil industry, drug cartels, poison, and along the way, a tour of the cities of Dallas and Odessa, Texas.Fictional protagonist Jill Quint, MD retired early from a state crime lab to operate a vineyard in California, but soon found herself offering second opinions on the cause of death. She is joined in murder investigations by three friends that bring unique skills to each case. Each book is set in a different region of the world.Murder At The Podium is Alec Peches sixth mystery novel. She is a native of Detroit, and was raised in San Jose, CA. Alec graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, and the University of Florida. This is her sixth novel in the mystery genre. Murder At The Podium will be released January 12, 2016 and is available for pre-order now. The books and the entire series are available worldwide.A seventh novel in the Jill Quint, MD, Forensic Pathologist series, "Castle Killing, is a work in process and is planned for release in the Summer of 2016.CONTACT: Alec PecheGBSW PublishingVials@alecpeche.com(408) 706-5033 By: Radix Bay Media Contact Greg Lovette ***@radixbay.com Greg Lovette End -- Radix Bay, a world-class business IT consulting and solutions provider, has been chosen to perform an Oracle Health Check for an aircraft engine manufacturer.The client is a global leader in jet engine technology, operating as part of a multi-national joint venture consisting of several organizations.The client reached out to Radix Bay to perform a health check on their Oracle databases and the Oracle Exadata appliance on which they are hosted.The Oracle systems are critical to the future success of the company. The health check will give the organization an accurate picture of the current state of their systems and an action plan for the future.After recently completing a data warehouse project for the client we are pleased to be chosen for another important engagement,said Greg Lovette, CEO of Radix Bay. Our experts will assess the performance of the organizations Oracle systems and ensure the database platform is operating at maximum efficiency.The Oracle project follows the design and development of an integrated data warehouse. The data warehouse centralized complex structured and non-structured data sets, giving stakeholders the ability to search data related to the entire engine lifecycle.About Radix BayRadix Bay delivers world-class Business IT Consulting, Solutions, and Managed Services to global clients. The company has a proven track record of developing advanced technologies, process innovations, and business transformation programs across a wide range of Fortune 500 clients, high-growth companies, and government entities. As an Oracle Gold Partner, Microsoft Silver Partner and Salesforce partner, Radix Bay provides specialized services for cloud and on premise enterprise solutions. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, with offices in Atlanta and India. Learn more at http://www.radixbay.com POWERS Insurance and Benefits, Clayton Capital Partners to highlight ways to combat cybercrime By: POWERS Insurance and Benefits Adam Connor Contact JD Powers ***@powersinsurance.com JD Powers End -- POWERS Insurance and Benefits, one of the largest family owned and operated independent insurance agencies in the bi-state region, and Clayton Capital Partners, one of the nations top independent investment bank firms for the middle market, will host Cyber Summit on Wed., Jan. 20 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will be held at Clayton Plaza Hotel located at 7750 Carondelet in Clayton, Mo.The Cyber Summit will focus on how to deter hackers, identify common system vulnerabilities, develop a preventative strategy, and establish a comprehensive breach resolution. Guest speakers include Adam Connor and Kyle Daddio. Connor works at the Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance as a national consultant for management and professional liability, specializing in the field of cyber liability. He assists numerous organizations and associations in creating cyber programs and best practices for the betterment of their security. Daddio is a senior consultant for Crowe Horwaths risk practice. He specializes in assisting clients with fraud, anti-money laundering, and cyber security engagements.Cybercrime is on the rise, and we want people to understand how to better protect themselves,said POWERS Insurance and Benefits president JD Powers. The numbers are staggering: According to the 2015 Symantec Internet Security Report, 60% of cyber-attacks last year struck small to medium sized businesses along with 34,529 known computer security penetration incidents per day.Reservations are recommended since seating is limited. The event includes a continental breakfast, presentation, and question and answer segment.POWERS Insurance and Benefits provides personal and business insurance, surety, risk management and employee benefits. Founded in 1991, the company is headquartered at 7745 Carondelet Ave. in Clayton, Mo. For more information, call (314) 725-1414 or visit http:// www.powersinsurance.com Rothbury Farms, Rebel Fish from Marine Harvest, & Mira Fitness Take Center Stage on First Show of the Year on January 4, 2016 on Lifetime By: BrandStar BA_logo NEW End --BrandStarpsteele-unger@brandstar.com (mailto:Pamela@o2mediainc.com)(844) 200-2525(POMPANO BEACH, Fla. PR LOG January 4, 2015) The New Year ushers in a chance to start fresh and live healthier so the award-winning morning show The Balancing Act will help kick your health and fitness into high gear with the hottest names in healthier soups, fashionable fitness tracking and easy to make SuperFish on Monday, January 4 and January 11, 2016 at 7:30 a.m. (ET/PT) on Lifetime. Tune in as The Balancing Act hosts help jump start the day with lively conversations and trusted information to empower a womans life.Dont miss these featured segments taking center stage on The Balancing Act:Soups on! How about kicking off the New Year with healthier soups? Many soups are very healthyand are low in calories and high in nutrients and vitamins. And to help you create recipes that make sure your soup is packed with protein, fiber and other healthy ingredients, The Balancing Act heads to the kitchen with A.J. Shepler, Culinary Chef and Food Scientist at Rothbury Farms. Chef will cook up delicious recipes that are easy on the waistline such as Black Bean/Lentil Soup and Asparagus Soup and for extra crunch hell add in some croutons for garnish. Rothbury Farms, a 4generation family-owned business that started in 1923, makes its croutons from fresh baked bread. Rothbury Farms Croutons have received the Chefs Best Best Taste Award, EVERY YEAR since 2004. Learn more at http://rothburyfarms.com/ If youre searching for a healthy protein, salmon is an excellent food choice to help us get -- or stay on a healthy track. But many people feel that preparing fish isnt easy or convenient. Join Celebrity Chef Lindsay Autry as she cooks up fish tacos and tells us about Rebel Fish Salmon fresh, sustainable salmon thats ready to eat in just 90-seconds. Rebel Fish Salmon can be microwaved, baked, cooked on your stove or grilled. And it comes with six delicious rubs: Cilantro Lime, Lemon Pepper Herb, Barbeque, Maple Mesquite Smoked Sea Salt, Cajon Blackened and Thai Chili. A 6- ounce portion is less than 300-calories, has 36-grams of protein, is loaded with Omega3s and provides 110% of the recommended DV or Vitamin Dnow thats a SuperFood! Rebel Fish Salmon was inspired by restaurants and global culinary flavors. Learn more at: http://www.rebelfishsalmon.com/ Are you ready to get in the best shape of your life? The Balancing Act is ready to help you kick off the New Year with fitness fashion! Join Suzanne EL-Moursi, Creative Director, Mira Fitness, LLC, who will discuss wearable tracking devices. Mira is on a mission to combine tracking technology and style in a way that encourages women to wear their fashionable smart bracelet every day, allowing women to get deeper insight on their daily activity and wellness behaviors. Learn how the Mira smart bracelet, inspired by the modern womens lifestyle, can help you keep your New Years resolution to get in the best shape of your life. Not only does this device monitor your journey, but it also encourages you along the way -- and celebrates your successes! Learn more at: www.mymirafit.comEntering its 8th season, The Balancing Act continues to empower women in all aspects of their lives. The mission at The Balancing Act is simple - to help todays modern woman balance it all by bringing them positive solutions to enrich and empower them. Entertaining, educational and trusted by women, viewers can tune in to Americas premier morning show The Balancing Act on weekday mornings Monday through Friday at 7:30 am (ET/PT) on Lifetime television. For additional information or to view a segment visit: www.thebalancingact.comJoin the Conversation!Like us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/TheBalancingActFansFollow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/balancingacttv (http://twitter.com/)Watch us on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/thebalancingact Pushing the Envelope Announces 2nd Annual Grant and Open House By: Pushing the Envelope, Inc. Contact samantha@getpushing.com 2392212858 2392212858 End -- Pushing the Envelope, Inc. is celebrating double-digit success, marking its 10-year anniversary this month. Since opening its doors in 2006, Pushing the Envelope has experienced tremendous growth and success, receiving numerous awards and recognition of excellence in the industry. What started as a direct mail and printing business has grown into an award-winning marketing communication firm, servicing both local and national brands such as Harley-Davidson, Hodges University, BB&T Oswald Trippe and Company, Gulf Coast Humane Society and more.Although Pushing the Envelope has evolved over the past ten years, the company has held steadfast to its commitment of giving back to the community. This commitment stretches beyond the volunteer efforts put forth by staff, to include guiding clients and corporate partners in their support of charitable causes and efforts, to support the community.As a part of the anniversary celebration, Pushing the Envelope will once again offer its annual Push-it-Forward Grant, awarding 20 service hours to an eligible, nonprofit organization, paying it forward two-fold.In addition, Pushing the Envelope will be opening its doors to clients, partners and community members to join in on this milestone anniversary celebration with an open house. The event will take place on Jan. 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. and will include light hors doeuvres, refreshments and socializing. The Pushing the Envelope office is located at 9111 West College Pointe Drive, Suite 110 in Fort Myers.Please RSVP by Jan. 22 by visiting getpushing.com/about/10-year-anniversary.Existing to help businesses proposer through strategic and creative communication, Pushing the Envelope is a privately held, award-winning marketing communication company based in Fort Myers, Florida. They work with companies in a variety of industries from motorsports and attractions to medical and technology, both regionally and nationally. For more information, please call (239) 221-2858 or visit GetPushing.com. Bay State Branded Environment Specialists Design Custom Branded Environment for Top 25 Global Tire Manufacturer at 2015 SEMA Show By: Hill & Partners End --Hill & Partners team of branded environment specialists partnered with Aeolus Tires, the 6largest tire company in China and top 26 global tire manufacturer, at the 2015 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, NV, November 1- 4. The SEMA Show was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.This was the second consecutive year that Hill & Partners has worked with the Aeolus Tire brand at the SEMA Show. In 2014, Hill & Partners teamed up with the industry leaders U.S. distribution group, Alliance Tire Americas, to create an uniquely attention grabbing, branded environment for SEMA.Aeolus Tires is one of the most recognizable tire manufacturers in the world and it was an honor to team up for the 2015 SEMA Show, said Hill & Partners President Michael McMahon. Our design team created a product that effectively communicated Aeolus brand image to all in attendance and created a visually striking environment with intricate attention to detail.The Aeolus Tire exhibit at the 2015 SEMA Show consisted of a 50x60 space designed around the AE46, a 3000lb Aeolus Transport Heavy Duty Dump Truck Tire, with a rugged visual presentation that included dirt and plants to generate a natural outdoor setting. Additionally, the Hill & Partners team produced graphical inserts for the tires to incorporate the design element and product information into the display without adding extra weight to already hefty tires.Hill & Partners showcased the China-based Aeolus Tyre sponsorship of the Dongfeng Race Team at the 2015 Volvo Ocean Race through a replica structure of the sail. This accompanied a promotional video streamed on a 90 monitor to communicate the relationship between the two brands.Hill & Partners utilized large-scale graphics printed on various materials including a mix of direct print to standard PVC and frosted Plexiglas. These elements were seamlessly integrated into the environments existing tire displays and created a window into the private meeting space on the other side of the wall. The final result was an eye-catching exhibit space that captured the attention of all in attendance.Hill & Partners is a full-service team of branded environment specialists with a network of skilled partners throughout the country and world. Hill & Partners have provided professional exhibit management services that help clients manage and improve the results of their trade show exhibit program for over 20 years. Experience is a key factor in their long running relationships with clients including Polartec LLC, Dunkin Brands, IGT, Demandware, Samsonite and General Cigar. Hill & Partners, established in 1995, has received numerous awards and accolades including being named by the Boston Business Journal as one of the Boston area's fastest growing companies. For additional information, please call 617.471.7990 or visit www.hillpartners.com By: HR Knowledge HR Knowledge Ribbon cutting End -- HR Knowledge (www.hrknowledge.com), an integrated human resources service that offers HR, payroll and benefits services to approximately 300 clients with a concierge-level approach, celebrated the doubling of their space with a ribbon-cutting at their new location at 15 Berkshire Road in Mansfield last month.Approximately 150 people turned out to congratulate HR Knowledge Partners Jeff Garr of Mansfield and Ken Bettenhauser of Sudbury. The company also received congratulations from Massachusetts State Representatives Elizabeth Poirier and Jay Barrows, who attended the event and presented the partners with an official proclamation from the House of Representatives. Mansfield Selectman Jess Aptowitz, who also works with State Senator James Timilty as his District Policy and Budget Director, attended and presented an official proclamation from the Senate on behalf of the Senator, who was unable to attend.In addition, Mansfield Town Manager Bill Ross and Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kara Griffin both congratulated the firm on its growth and the positive work environment they have fostered.HR Knowledge moved into their new space in mid-October, which allowed them to more than double their office space (from 5,200 square feet to 11,000 square feet). The larger area better meets the needs of the growing company, which has expanded from 20 employees just four years ago to 50 employees now.HR Knowledge, which was founded by Garr and Bettenhauser in 2001, was named aPacesetterin 2015, in recognition of the company as one of the 70 fastest growing firms in the region.We are so glad to have had the chance to introduce our clients and neighbors to our new space, and to show them, and our employees, our appreciation,said Garr. It was a wonderful night, and we are grateful to be able to share this celebration with them.Photo caption:Ribbon-cutting:HR Knowledge in Mansfield recently hosted a ribbon-cutting and client appreciation event in honor of the firms relocating its offices to 15 Berkshire Road, Mansfield, doubling its previous office size. On hand to participate in the ribbon-cutting at the new location are, left to right, William Ross, Mansfield Town Manager; Jeffrey Garr, Mansfield resident and co-owner of HR Knowledge; Ken Bettenhauser of Sudbury, co-owner of HR Knowledge; Jess Aptowitz, Board of Selectmen, Town of Mansfield, and also representing the office of State Senator James Timilty; and State Representative Jay Barrows.Founded in 2001, HR Knowledge ( www.hrknowledge.com ) provides integrated outsourced HR services tailored to their clients needs. Their full array of human resource offerings includes managed payroll; employee benefits administration;and HR consulting and support services, such as training, compliance, electronic onboarding, electronic employee self-service solutions and recruiting. Their major markets are fast-growing small- and medium-sized businesses, many of which are venture-capital-backed; foreign companies expanding into the States; and certain key education markets including charter schools and nonprofit enterprises. Businesses that partner with HR Knowledge can reduce their administrative costs, minimize their legal risk, help them find and develop talent, and free them up to focus on their core business.The firm was named a 2015 Boston Business Journal Pacesetter,recognizing the company as one of the 70 fastest growing firms in the region. HR Knowledge is located at 15 Berkshire Road, Suite B, Mansfield, Massachusetts. For more information, please email sales@hrknowledge.com or call (508) 339-1300. Good Monday Morning, Fellow Seekers. Welcome to the start of the first, full working week of 2016. We hope your holiday was a good one, spent among family and friends. But much like the mob, state politics is inescapable. So let's dive right into it shall we? We begin this morning with a reminder that actions have consequences. For instance, touch a hot stove, you'll get burned. Play for the Eagles, and you live with the knowledge that you may never wear a Super Bowl ring. Most of us learn from these lessons and move on. The same holds true, it seems, for 49 other General Assemblies across this great land of ours. There, lawmakers have learned, state budgets tend to pass faster if there are consequences for inaction. That's the result of a study by the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, one of innumerable nonprofits affected by Pennsylvania's 1,345-day-long budget impasse. As our pal Natasha Lindstrom of The Tribune-Review reports, Ohio state government goes into a full-on shutdown if the Buckeye State Legislature ends its session without coming up with at least an "interim" spending plan. In Virginia (where the governor serves a single, four-year term), the chief executive presents a budget proposal in December. And the Old Dominion's part-time Legislature stays in session until it passes the thing. That typically happens by February, Lindstrom reports. And in scenic California, state officials have considered removing the governor and lawmakers from office if they burn through the June 30 deadline. The Golden State's Constitution also bars lawmakers from claiming travel or living expenses until a budget is enacted, Lindstrom reports. And in Pennsylvania??? Ummmm .... nothing much happens at all. Thanks to a 2009 state Supreme Court decision, government shutdowns are pretty much a thing of the past. Bills that would keep lawmakers and the Guv and LG from getting paid come and go with each stalemate without drawing so much as even a hearing. Yes, school districts and nonprofits are borrowing money to keep their doors open - racking up hundreds of millions of dollars in interest and other charges. But so far, none of them have shut their doors yet. And while some lawmakers aren't claiming per-diem payments during the impasse, they are stockpiling them, we've learned. That means they'll be hoovering up a mess of expense payments once Gov. Tom Wolf affixes his official John Hancock to an approved budget. Thus, if you watch carefully, you may actually be able to see the banknotes flying out of the Capitol's windows sometime very soon. The rest of the day's news starts now. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Adolph, R-Delaware, will retire at the end of his current term, PoliticsPA reports. Our Capitol colleague Wallace McKelvey has a Porngate primer - just in time for a new year's worth of scandals and kerfuffles. Because it's never too early to start planning ahead, PennLive's Candy Woodall has this year's primary calendar all mapped out for you. And a few predictions, to boot. No, seriously, the state Legislature is looking at overhauling lobbying laws, The Post-Gazette reports. The reaction, as you might expect, is mixed. PhillyMag looks at what's in store for incoming Mayor Jim Kenney, who takes office this month. Their chips are addicting. Their overtime practices? Not so much. Snack-maker Utz faces a lawsuit on overtime pay, WITF-FM reports. NewsWorks/WHYY-FM has its own look at today's inaugural ceremonies in City Hall. The search for the missing autistic child who perished over the holiday brought out "the best of the Lehigh Valley," The Morning Call reports. Stateline.org looks at state governments' efforts to unload "money pit" buildings. Politico looks at the "thousands" of new regulations the Obama administration will be pushing as it enters its final year. The National Journal looks at the 11 challenges that will define Congress in 2016. What Goes On. The state House and Senate remain on a six-hour call until there's a final budget agreement.\ Heavy Rotation. Here's a classic from the Harry J. All-Stars. From 1969, it's "The Liquidator.: Monday's Gratuitous Hockey Link. Winnipeg dropped a 4-1 decision to Anaheim in a late game on the West Coast on Sunday night. And now you're up to date. See you all back here in a bit. 15 instructor update events scheduled over next several months DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Heart Association, a U.S.-based nonprofit and one of the world's largest volunteer organizations committed to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, is hosting a series of conferences to teach instructors the latest science and updated training based off its recently published 2015 Guidelines Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC). Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151216/296712LOGO The Guidelines Instructor conferences, designed for AHA Instructors, provide an update of new science released in the latest guidelines, and offer the guidance and tools needed to continue training until translated products are released. The 2015 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC, published on Oct. 15, call for integrated systems of care that participate in continuous quality improvement and that provide a common framework for both community and healthcare-based resuscitation systems. "At the American Heart Association, we believe everyone deserves to live a healthier, longer life. That's why we are committed to the expansion of science-based lifesaving training solutions in the Middle East and North Africa," said Monica Kleinman, MD, of Children's Hospital Boston, who is also an author on the guidelines writing committee and a member of the AHA's Emergency Cardiovascular Care committee. "It's very exciting to unveil the 2015 Guidelines to instructors, training centers and educators who can help deliver the latest science and educational information to their students," said Kleinman. AHA courses are designed to reduce disability and death caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke the leading cause of death in the world, and throughout the Middle East and North Africa. With the help of a global network of international training centers, the AHA trains more than 17 million people a year globally in lifesaving first aid, CPR and advanced cardiovascular care. From its regional office located at Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) free zone in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the AHA supports program development and works with 134 training centers and 120 sites throughout the Middle East and North Africa providing lifesaving training courses in the region. The AHA has about 3,000 staff and more than 22 million volunteers and supporters worldwide. It has a network of 400,000 instructors and 3,500 affiliated training centers. The schedule of regional events: (Please note some have already taken place.) November 2015 22 Nov. Sharjah, UAE 26 Nov. Doha, Qatar 28 Nov. Lahore, Pakistan December 2015 1 Dec. Muscat, Oman 4 Dec. Cairo, Egypt 8 Dec. Jebail, Lebannon 10 Dec. Abu Dhabi, UAE 15 Dec. Dubai, UAE 17 Dec. Kuwait City, Kuwait 19 Dec. Amman, Jordan January 2016 5 Jan. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 7 Jan. Al Ain, UAE 18 Jan. Manama, Bahrain 21 Jan. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 30 Jan. Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia Events will be hosted by: UAE Ministry of Health Training Center in Sharjah, Primary Health Care Corporation ITC in Doha, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan in Lahore, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital Training Center in Muscat, National Heart Institute Training Center in Cairo, Lebanese American University Clinical Simulation Center in Jebail, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi LLC in Abu Dhabi, American Hospital Dubai in Dubai, Emergency Medical Services Training Center in Kuwait, The Specialty Hospital Life Support Training Center in Amman, King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Tawam Hospital in Al-Ain, King Hamad University Hospital in Manama, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University Health Science in Jeddah and Saad Specialist Hospital in Al-Khobar. Both United States and Regional Speakers will be traveling to be the lecturers at these events. The AHA guidelines, which are based off the latest resuscitation research, have been published since 1966 to provide science-based recommendations for treating cardiovascular emergencies particularly cardiac arrest in adults, children, infants and newborns. For almost 50 years, the American Heart Association's CPR and ECC guidelines have been used to train millions in CPR, first aid and advanced cardiovascular care around the world. These guidelines are based on an international evaluation process that involved hundreds of resuscitation scientists and experts worldwide who evaluated thousands of peer-reviewed publications. This year's update provides recommendations on the data where new evidence requires a systematic review, in part, due to a network of trainers who regularly implement the CPR and ECC guidelines and rely on the science to inform the most effective care. To learn more about the American Heart Association's emergency cardiovascular care programs and other efforts around the world, visit international.heart.orghttp://www.global.heart.org/. About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is a global leader in the discovery and dissemination of heart disease and stroke science, and is widely known and highly respected as one of the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to preventing, treating and defeating cardiovascular diseases and stroke. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. To learn more about the AHA, visit heart.org or call +1-800-242-8721. At this time, our call center only supports English inquiries. To learn more about the American Heart Association's emergency cardiovascular care programs and other efforts around the world, visit international.heart.orghttp://www.global.heart.org/. Related Links http://www.americanheart.org SOURCE American Heart Association ZHOUZHUANG, China, Jan. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On Jan. 3, Zhouzhuang hosted a Wansan yellow rice wine tasting on the gaily painted boat, guests toured around the water town down the ancient canals while savoring the wine aged to perfection. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160104/318789 The wine sampled at the seminar were from Yuanfengshun, the largest folk yellow rice wine brewery in town, which was founded in 1821 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The brew workshop opened in 2001 is housed in an ancient stone and brick building where visitors can buy authentic yellow rice wine and learn about the wine culture at the same time. Huang jiu, which translates into yellow wine, is a unique Chinese alcoholic beverage made with water and cereal grains. "Good water makes better wines, and Zhouzhuang is a town surrounded by four lakes Cheng Lake, Baixian Lake, Dianshan Lake and South Lake, which promises the best quality," said Huang Guoxing, a wine maker in Zhouzhuang. "Yellow rice wine is rooted in our daily life, it is indispensable in every household." Huang, now in his 60s, has 40 years of wine making experience. To make the yellow rice wine, he sources good quality rice and wheat from local farmers and brews in the traditional method. The ancient craftsmanship of making yellow rice wine by hand includes eight steps from steaming the rice, fermentation to pressing and boiling the wine. The newly brewed yellow rice wine is strong and sweet, and most people prefer the aged brews with mellower and richer taste, said Huang. The history of yellow rice wine in Zhouzhuang traces back to early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when Shen Wansan, the richest man across the region at the time, brought yellow rice wine every time he sailed away from home. He drank the wine to heal the nostalgia, gifted the wine to explore new opportunities and sold the wine to profit. The wine is best enjoyed as a warm beverage to bring out a mild and aromatic flavor different from other liquors and help with the cold winter days. Young people also prefer to drink chilled yellow rice wine, even make it into cocktails by mixing with lemon, candied plum and soda water. "People in Zhouzhuang has a long history of drinking yellow rice wine, its distinct taste combined with medicinal values makes it the most popular beverage for hundreds of years," Huang said. The yellow rice wine also packs amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It's often paired with rich and bold flavored dishes such as steamed hairy crab, a seasonal favorite as well as the famous Wansan braised pork knuckle that one can only find in Zhouzhuang. In recent years, Zhouzhuang has hosted many events joined by master winemakers and yellow rice wine lovers to celebrate the history and heritage of winemaking in Zhouzhuang. "Yellow rice wine is part of the Zhouzhuang lifestyle, the well preserved distilleries are passed down through generations where visitors can travel back in time to experience the ancient brewing process, savoring wine and history at the same time" said Mr. Zhang, general manager ofJiangsu Water-town Zhouzhuang Tourism Company. About Zhouzhuang As the oldest and best preserved water town in China, Zhouzhuang's 900 years of Chinese history and culture present visitors the opportunity to immerse in an original lifestyle. The food scene in town brings a unique dining experience that combines ancient tales and mouthwatering delicacies. Zhouzhuang is one of the only two Chinese locations listed on the New York Times' World's 52 Places to go in 2015. CONTACT: Zou Lei +86-150-5023-9114 mailto:zl@zhouzhuang.net SOURCE Jiangsu Water Town Zhouzhuang Tourism Co, Ltd. Long before prom queens became a focus of reality TV, South Philadelphia's Zinni family was outfitting young women for the big dance. What Jennie and Louis Zinni did not have to contend with when they opened for business on South 12th Street in 1946 was social media. In the retail business, it can be both a blessing and a curse, said Carolyn Zinni, the daughter who carries on Zinni's of Philadelphia, albeit in Springfield, Delaware County. Lousy reviews on Yelp or snarky remarks on Twitter can reach thousands in no time and ruin a business. But social media also are a customer-development tool impossible for merchants to ignore, especially if they want to reach millennials, Zinni said. "I am exploring ways I can leverage that to scale our business while also maintaining our boutique charm," she said as the store celebrates 70 years. Image: teal bridesmaid dresses In the meantime, defensive moves protect against online-assisted competition. Picture-taking is banned in the shop, and style numbers on dress tags are recoded to make it harder for customers to use the store for browsing and then purchasing elsewhere. Saturday marked the new season's debut of prom fashions at Zinni's of Philadelphia. Some dresses even sold during Christmas week, Carolyn Zinni said. Proms make up 70 percent of the shop's sales. An in-house registry helps staff members - typically three or four, up to seven in peak seasons - execute a store policy that tries to ensure that the same dress is never sold to more than one student at a school. "There's a lot of joy, but you also see girls here stomping their feet because they didn't get the dress they wanted," Zinni said of life in her boutique on Baltimore Pike, from which 780 prom dresses were sold last season at an average $450 each. Dresses run as high as $2,000; 25 a year are donated to the needy. Zinni, 58, never attended a prom, so hers might seem an unlikely career choice - until you learn how dresses were the fabric of her upbringing. "We grew up there," she said, the we also referring to her two sisters and a brother. There meant the shop her parents operated at 2024 S. 12th St. until the 1970s. It started as a men's store. Zinni's was robbed of everything but the racks its first year, Carolyn said. Her mother took it as a sign, so they reopened as a dress shop, with Jennie doing the buying and selling, and Louis the books and alterations. In the 1970s, the Zinnis moved the shop to bigger quarters on East Passyunk Avenue. Jennie Zinni, now 92 and trying to get discovered as a songwriter - "I do want to get famous" - said she always had a knack for stylish dressing, so the dress business "came natural." Even in retirement, she offers critiques of Carolyn's inventory and displays. And she's been known to demand mystical actions, such as salt at the store's doorstep, to ward off any bad vibes. By the time Carolyn was a teenager, she wanted no part of her parents' store. In 1983, she moved away, her marriage to a doctor-in-training taking her to Mexico, Ohio, New York, and Florida. She returned to the Philadelphia area in 1993 and went to work at Latrice, a Bryn Mawr shop specializing in sportswear and evening wear that is owned by her sister Angela Abruzzese. Sister Maria Bennett owns Mia's of Philadelphia, a women's clothing store on Passyunk Avenue, at their parents' former location. In 2004, Louis Zinni's health was fading as Carolyn, a divorced mother of three boys, was harboring "a fantasy of my dresses hanging in the window" of a storefront on Baltimore Pike near her Springfield home. With a $100,000 loan from her father, she opened Zinni's of Philadelphia there as her parents closed the city store. With it came something in short supply on Passyunk: parking, "25 spots in front, 75 in back," Zinni boasted. More than doubling the number of schools her parents sold to - 306 today, from a 20-mile radius - Zinni paid off the loan in 24 months. While not disclosing financials, she said she has increased sales each year since opening. "Despite the proliferation of online shopping, we believe there will continue to be a vibrant brick-and-mortar need as customers are still interested in the experience of shopping," said William J. Park, a partner and retail expert at Deloitte & Touche. "That experience includes store visualization, product display, and personal service." At Zinni's of Philadelphia, it includes mimosas for the adults and fashion shows on flat-screen TVs. Carolyn Zinni quit high school in 10th grade - "I could not conform to a formal education; I was so distracted," - and found beauty school a better fit. She worked in the hair salon at Nan Duskin on Walnut Street for five years, returning to school at 35 to get her general education diploma. Her focus now is on business and personal growth, the latter a project since her engagement to former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo ended over the summer. "I've learned to be so vulnerable, and I feel it's my greatest asset," Zinni said at her shop, where she sees plenty of vulnerability. She tries to boost confidence by getting girls in the right dress. "Prom girls know what they like," she said, "but not what they look good in." Also Read: http://www.kissybridesmaids.com/orange-peach-bridesmaid-dresses Eileen Crane, CEO and Founding Winemaker Domaine Carneros Participants in A Taste of Life become members of a social club that offers fine dining, delicious wines and added exclusive activities and amenities. MmMmTravel is announcing Domaine Carneros Winerys 2016 Taste of Life wine cruises. The sailings, a SeaDream Caribbean cruise over Valentines Day from Bridgetown, Barbados to Marigot, Saint Martin and an early June Silversea Mediterranean Silver Spirit cruise from Rome to Istanbul are both hosted by Eileen Crane, Founding Winemaker and CEO. Both journeys feature luxury vessels offering ideal ways to experience these delightful parts of the world. Eileen Crane, often referred to as Americas Doyenne of Sparkling Wine, has spent 35 years in the wine industry. Eileen is one of a handful of women who are now in the forefront of the wine industry in California. Recognized by Forbes as the most powerful woman in Napa Valley, Eileen is actively involved in numerous wine and civic organizations Taste of Life vacations are organized by Michael Mastrocola's MillenniuM. As participants in A Taste of Life, guests become members of a social club that offers fine dining, delicious wines and added exclusive activities and amenities. Led by wine and culinary professionals, guests are encouraged to expand their experience via small group discussions, tastings and demonstrations onboard, elevating their vacation enjoyment while taking the journey at their leisure and shunning the traditional tour group feel. For luxury travelers, this translates into unparalleled culinary and wine experiences at no extra cost. SeaDream Yacht Clubs motto is, its yachting, not cruising. A celebration of the yachting lifestyle, casual dress, relaxed itineraries, an onboard watersports marina and superlative service all keep guests returning annually to their yacht. This sailing visits St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis and the French West Indies. Silversea Cruise Line is known for their small ultra-luxury ships and all-inclusive value. Amenities include pre-paid gratuities, all-suite accommodations, complimentary beverages onboard including wine and spirits and daily wifi. Countries visited on this June 1 to 11food & wine cruise include Italy, Malta, Greece and Turkey. A pre-cruise program to Florence is available, and customized post sailing programs are available in Turkey. Those wishing for more information or to participate need to contact Michael Mastrocolas MillenniuM. David M. Rubenstein, the co-founder and co-chief executive officer of The Carlyle Group, will deliver the graduation address at the commencement ceremony of the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore. The Carlyle Group, co-founded by Mr. Rubenstein in 1987, is a global alternative asset manager with more than $188 billion in assets under management. Mr. Rubenstein is a very successful business leader and exemplary citizen with a longstanding commitment to higher education. He has served as an emeritus member of the Johns Hopkins University board of trustees, and he is a current member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine board of trustees, as well as many other boards, said Bernard T. Ferrari, dean of the Carey Business School. I know our graduates will benefit from his insights. A native of Baltimore, Rubenstein graduated magna cum laude from Duke University, where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa. After Duke, he earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review. Before founding The Carlyle Group, Rubenstein practiced law in New York with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He later served as chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments. During the Carter Administration, he was deputy assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. After his White House service, Rubenstein practiced law in Washington with Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge (now Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw Pittman). Currently, Mr. Rubenstein is chairman of the boards of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and of Duke University, a regent of the Smithsonian Institution, co-chairman of the Brookings Institution, vice-chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations, a trustee of the National Gallery of Art and president of the Economic Club of Washington. In addition to his role at Johns Hopkins Medicine, he is also on boards of the University of Chicago, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Institute for Advanced Study, and the boards of the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of American History and the National Museum of Natural History. Mr. Rubenstein is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Business Council (vice-chairman), visiting committee of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, the Harvard Business School board of deans advisors, the board of trustees of the Young Global Leaders Foundation, advisory board of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University (chairman), the Madison Council of the Library of Congress (chairman), and the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum. Founded in 2007, the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School supports business knowledge development and education through its own initiatives, innovations, and collaborative programs across the Johns Hopkins University. The Carey Business School creates and shares knowledge that shapes business practices while educating business leaders who will grow economies and societies, and are exemplary citizens. Cubic Global Defense(CGD), a business unit of Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB), today announced the award of a three-year, $15 million task order to provide the Future Warfare Division (FWD) with Future Study Plan (FSP)/Unified Quest (UQ) events services under the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)s Capabilities Integration Center(ARCIC). Cubic will support ARCICs overall efforts for FSP/UQ events including, planning, preparation, execution, assessment and analytical integration. FSP/UQ events are the Army Chief of Staffs study plan designed to explore complex strategic and operational challenges, identify issues and explore solutions critical to current and future development. UQ assists senior Army leaders in making decisions using a variety of realistic mid- to long-range strategic settings to develop or examine a broad set of ideas about future conflict that could impact the Army. Team Cubic (composed of four industry partners: Abrams Learning and Information Systems, Inc.; J.L. Marshall and Associates; Virginia Modeling and Simulation Center; and Infinite Services and Solutions, Inc.) fulfilled the capability requirements of the FSP/UQ events task order based on innovative and adaptable processes, proven planning capabilities and the ability to form a highly qualified team to complete the tasks. Cubic looks forward to partnering with ARCICs FWD to deliver an integrated and measurable business plan that assigns responsibility, defines milestones and shows performance-based results across each requirement and event, said Bill Toti, president of Cubic Global Defense. Our team has the technical knowledge and leadership to support FWD, and we will continue to make great effort to support the Army in achieving their Force 2025 and Beyond initiative. TRADOCs ARCIC is responsible for the development of requirements, concepts and products across all elements of doctrine, organization, training, material, leader development and education, personnel and facilities (DOTMLPF) for the transformation of the Army. Introduced in 2014, the Force 2025 and Beyond is the U.S. Armys comprehensive strategy to change the Army and deliver landpower capabilities as an instrument of the future Joint Force. # # # About Cubic Corporation Cubic Corporation designs, integrates and operates systems, products and services focused in the transportation, defense training and secure communications markets. As the parent company of two major business units, Cubics mission is to increase situational awareness and understanding for customers worldwide. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services to create intelligent travel solutions for transportation authorities and operators. Cubic Global Defense is a leading provider of realistic combat training systems, secure communications and networking and highly specialized support services for military and security forces of the U.S. and allied nations. For more information about Cubic, please visit the company's website at http://www.cubic.com or on Twitter @CubicCorp. Media Contact Laura Chon Corporate Communications Cubic Corporation 858-505-2181 laura(dot)chon(at)cubic(dot)com Through this partnership, we will be able to assist more companies in the region either directly or through collaboration with incubators and consultants interested in offering the greenlight.guru platform to their incubatees and clients. INDIANAPOLIS and SINGAPORE: greenlight.guru, the software company that produces an award-winning electronic quality management system (eQMS) solution for medical device companies, and Yeng & Leong MedTech Consultancy, a medical device regulatory consultancy firm, announced a new strategic partnership today to distribute the software in Asia. With Yeng & Leong MedTech Consultancys regional experience and innovative approach to regulatory consulting, the partnership is focused on introducing greenlight.gurus eQMS platform to MedTech companies, incubators and consultants in the Asian markets. greenlight.guru and Yeng & Leong MedTech Consultancy will help medical device companies to navigate the ever shifting regulatory environment, enabling them to bring safer products to market faster. David DeRam, greenlight.guru CEO and co-founder, said, The regulatory landscape is changing and global regulatory bodies are becoming more risk-centric. Companies are adopting new technologies to navigate these hurdles. Working with strategic partners like Yeng & Leong MedTech Consultancy in Asia allows us to reach out to more MedTech companies in this part of the world. Some of the most innovative medical device companies in the world, spanning four continents and nine countries, use greenlight.gurus beautifully simple eQMS solution to help them ensure compliance, reduce risk and improve team collaboration from the idea stage all the way through post-commercialization. This strategic partnership will allow the same for clients in the Asian medical device commercial market, which is valued at more than USD $55 billion in 2014. "We started this company with the aim of helping more companies in Asia bring their medical devices to market by helping them to overcome regulatory hurdles, said Jason Lim, CEO and co-founder of Yeng & Leong MedTech Consultancy. Through this partnership, we will be able to assist more companies in the region either directly or through collaboration with incubators and consultants interested in offering the greenlight.guru platform to their incubatees and clients. About Yeng & Leong MedTech Consultancy: Yeng & Leong MedTech Consultancy helps companies establish quality management system (QMS) compliant to medical device industry standards and provides guidance necessary for navigating through the global regulatory landscape. We work with our international partners for regulatory, clinical and manufacturing support to provide our clients a comprehensive, one-stop solution so that medical devices are on track to being approved for sale in target markets. Visit http://www.ynlmedtech.com and contact us to schedule a meeting today. About greenlight.guru: greenlight.guru produces beautifully simple software solutions for medical device companies to allow them to bring high quality products to market faster, while reducing risk and simplifying regulatory compliance. greenlight.gurus QMS software solution provides device makers a Single Source of Truth by integrating the management of design controls, risk, controlled documents, and quality processes in one, easy to use platform. To learn more about how greenlight.gurus quality management software solution can help your team get its product to market faster, visit http://www.greenlight.guru or call 317-762-5311 to schedule a personal demo today. Media Enquiries / All enquiries can be directed to: Jason Lim: jason(at)yengandleong.com Nick Tippmann: nick.tippmann(at)greenlight.guru Our goal is nothing less than continuing to raise the bar for the destination wedding travel industry while innovating new and creative ways to address the unique needs of all of our couples worldwide. Industry leading consumer wedding and media company, TheKnot.com, has awarded Destination Weddings Travel Group (DWTG) the Best of Weddings 2015 award, rounding out what can only be described as a banner year of recognition and accomplishment for the brand. Best of Knot winners represent the highest rated wedding professionals as reviewed by couples, their families, and their guests on TheKnot.com. Only 2% of the sites local wedding professionals are selected as winners of the highly competitive annual award. We are deeply honored to receive the coveted Best of Knot award, and are especially appreciative of our couples for sharing their experiences on TheKnot.com. This award caps off an incredible year of recognition for DWTG. We are humbled by the accolades that we have received for our innovation and quality of service, and are dedicated to continuing to provide couples with unmatched experiences, shares Richard Calvert, CEO of Destination Weddings Travel Group. DWTGs 2015 awards include the Travel Weekly Magellan Award, honoring the brand for its travel agent innovations with GayDestinationWeddings.com; the Travel Impressions Best of the Best Global Award 2015, bestowed upon top performing agencies and consortia partners of Travel Impressions; and two Palace Resort Awards for top destination wedding producer and top overall producer. DWTG is also a finalist for the Travvy Award which honors excellence in the travel industry. Additionally, in tandem with the Magellan Award from Travel Weekly, DWTG is proud to work with the Human Rights Campaign in an effort to safeguard workplace equality for LGBT employees around the world as a part of the Clinton Global Initiative. DWTG will enjoy little time to celebrate, however, as the brand sets its sights on 2016. Calvert forecasts the companys direction in the new year, stating, Our goal is nothing less than continuing to raise the bar for the destination wedding travel industry while innovating new and creative ways to address the unique needs of all of our couples worldwide. About Celebration Travel Group Celebration Travel Group represents a number of award-winning tourism brands, including Destination Weddings Travel Group, with the common goal of creating destination celebrations worldwide. From dream weddings and romantic honeymoons to memorable anniversaries, luxury escapes and all-inclusive vacations, we pair the value of exclusive offers and savings with the convenience of complimentary expert planning services to ensure that each customers personalized vision becomes a reality. Find out more about Celebration Travel Groups services in their online publications, Get Married Away and Voyage. Expanding our service offerings allows us to tailor a plan for clients for their online presence from beginning to end...Its now a seamless process. Excel Placement Partners, LLC is excited to announce new expanded service offerings in the area of web design. Excel Placement Partners has been a leader in SEO and PPC at the local and national level, but felt they were missing out on an opportunity to help businesses that are looking for a convenient, all-in-one approach to their online marketing, authority, and overall presence. Providing the highest level of customer service is always Excel Placement Partners' top priority, and now with the ability to offer web design services they will be able to take clients through all phases of their internet presence. Recent Google updates favoring mobile sites have also made it vitally important for businesses to have quality content and design in that space. Overall, it seems more and more people are realizing investing in digital marketing, as well as having an aesthetically pleasing, mobile friendly, and responsive web site is not only a sound decision, but a profitable one. Excel Placement Partners hired a team of web designers that has over 12 years of experience and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive thus far. The agency has already seen an increase in business and has even attracted a few high-profile professional athletes looking to improve their websites. "Offering web design services will allow us to grow as a company," said Michael Krost, President of Excel Placement Partners. Expanding our service offerings allows us to tailor a plan for clients for their online presence from beginning to end; from the creation of their website to maintenance, to reconstruction of content, and transition that right into marketing. Its now a seamless process that better serves our customers. Krost believes providing web design services may also slightly boost SEO business in general, as some businesses may not know the importance of it when they come in for a new website. Clients will no longer have to work with multiple companies to achieve these related results, streamlining the entire process and eliminating the potential for miscommunication between two different agencies working on a business's internet infrastructure. In celebration of the move towards a more full-service company, Excel Placement Partners is also offering a 10% discount on all web design work done through the end of January 2016. About Excel Placement Partners, LLC Excel Placement Partners offers full-service search engine optimization, helping businesses to turn rankings into traffic. They can help with local SEO, PPC, and more, and work to tailor their SEO strategy to your budget. To learn more, visit http://www.excelplacementpartners.com. Jarred Kotkas I want to first and foremost help individuals who struggle with their health Jarred Kotkas, owner of the Lethbridge Fit Body Boot Camp, will be holding a Grand Opening celebration on January 16th from 10am to 2pm at 1218 2nd Ave, South Lethbridge, Alberta T1J0E3 for the new Canadian location. Kotkas will be giving away memberships, holding boot camps, doing a meet and greet along with hosting a podcast while the event is going on. The Lethbridge Food Bank will also be accepting cash and non-perishable food donations at the event as part of their food share program to provide meals to families in need. Fit Body Boot Camp is the worlds fastest growing and most popular indoor fitness boot camp brand, with hundreds of locations worldwide. The boot camps unique brand of fitness combines individualized personal training from licensed professionals, clinically proven Afterburn workouts, and nutritional guidance to guarantee weight loss results. Jarred has been passionate about helping others get in shape for several years now, and believes in donating to food banks as part of his mission for health. We opened a Fit Body Boot Camp because we wanted to reach out and support as many people as possible in finally getting fit and healthy, said Kotkas. I want to first and foremost help individuals who struggle with their health, but we feel it is important to support organizations [like Lethbridge Food Bank] because everyone deserves to be able to feed and nourish their mind, body and soul. At the event Jarred is going to be doing drawings for memberships along with several boot camp sessions. He will also be doing meet and greets with attendees along with a podcast. Local businesses such as Red Engine Roasting, Brio Salon, Urban Grocer, Human Powered and One Tooth Active Wear will all be contributing to the event as well to bring the community together. The Lethbridge Food Bank will be there collecting non-perishable donations as well. Lethbridge is a quickly growing area, and the Lethbridge Food Bank relies on donations from the surrounding community in order to help families in need through their food share program. They see this program as a short term solution to a larger problem and work to help people in the long term while providing immediate assistance. About Lethbridge Fit Body Boot Camp: Lethbridge Fit Body Boot Camp is a part of the Fit Body Boot Camp family of indoor fitness boot camps, whose global goal is to engage 20% of the worlds population in a healthy and fit lifestyle by the year 2020. Lethbridge Fit Body Boot Camp is owned and operated by Jarred Kotkas. Kotkas is committed to helping members of the Lethbridge community set and accomplish their own health and fitness goals. For more information about Lethbridge Fit Body Boot Camp, please call: (403) 795-1137 Visit their website at: http://www.canadafitbodybootcamp.ca/lethbridgefitnessbootcamp/ Or their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/LethbridgeFitBodyBootCamp/ Amazon Affiliate This blog contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy something from Amazon.com after clicking on one of those links I'll get a small commission with no extra cost to you. Episcopal Relief & Development welcomes five new members to its Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2016: Ms. Rosalie Ballentine of the Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands; Ms. Sophie Hollingsworth of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington; The Rev. David C. Killeen of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida; Mr. John A. Jock MacKinnon of the Episcopal Diocese of New York; and Ms. Laura Ellen Muglia of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. I welcome our five new board members with much gratitude and anticipation of the meaningful work we will do together, said Neel Lane, Chair of Episcopal Relief & Developments Board of Directors. Each of our new members brings unique gifts and talents to the table, as we seek constantly to elevate the organizations work and strengthen Episcopalians connection to this Church-wide ministry of global outreach. Ms. Rosalie Ballentine is an attorney in private practice in the US Virgin Islands, formerly serving as Solicitor General and as Attorney General of the Virgin Islands. Ms. Ballentine has extensive experience in church governance, both in The Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion. In 2013, she succeeded fellow Episcopal Relief & Development board member Josephine Hicks as lay representative of The Episcopal Church to the Anglican Consultative Council. Ms. Sophie Hollingsworth is a Program Officer for the International Conservation Caucus Foundation. Currently working in international development on agriculture and environmental conservation, she has a background in International Relations with on-the-ground experience in Tanzania and Rwanda. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Roy A. Hunt Foundation, serving on the International Development Committee. The Rev. David C. Killeen is Rector of St. Johns Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, Florida, where he and the congregation created Visioning the Vineyard, a prayerful, grassroots, five-year plan for the future of St. Johns, resulting in congregational growth and vitality. In addition to strategic planning, Mr. Killeen also has deep experience in parish ministry and faith formation, helping children, youth and families learn how to live their faith through local and global outreach. Mr. John A. Jock MacKinnon is a partner in the law firm of Sidley Austin LLP in New York. From 2002-2014, he served as a member of their Executive Committee and as co-chair of the global investment management practice. His expertise in financial auditing has made him a valuable member of Episcopal Relief & Developments Audit Committee in his six years as an adviser. He has also traveled with the organization to visit programs in El Salvador and Ghana. Ms. Laura Ellen Muglia has focused the past decade of her life on furthering initiatives to end global poverty through investing in health and economic development. She was Co-Chair of the NetsforLife Inspiration Fund, a Church-wide campaign to raise $5 million for Episcopal Relief & Developments malaria prevention programs, and led the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia in raising $350,000 for the effort. As a consultant, she contributed to the formation of the Anglican Alliance, of which Episcopal Relief & Development is part. I am grateful for the addition of these five new members as we embark on the visioning process for our next strategic plan, said Rob Radtke, the organizations President. Their insight and expertise will provide critical guidance for Episcopal Relief & Developments continual improvement as an agency and as a faithful ministry of The Episcopal Church. New board members are nominated by the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and the Chair of the Board of Episcopal Relief & Development, in consultation with the Boards Governance Committee. Candidates are then elected by the Board, and the election takes effect when ratified by the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. Board members are invited to serve three-year terms, which may be renewed once. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating under the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, Episcopal Relief & Development is governed by a 21-member Board of Directors that includes clergy and lay leaders from around the country. Previous Board Chair The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry transitioned to the role of Honorary Chair upon his installation as Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church on November 1, 2015; he is succeeded by current chair Neel Lane. For over 75 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has served as a compassionate response to human suffering in the world. The agency works with more than 3 million people in nearly 40 countries worldwide to overcome poverty, hunger and disease through multi-sector programs, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework. An independent 501(c)(3) organization, it works closely with Anglican Communion and ecumenical partners to help communities create long-term development strategies and rebuild after disasters. Giving assistance to those in need is something we do every day. During the holidays, we're more motivated to reach beyond the clinic. This Christmas season, AFC/Doctors Express Portland urgent care clinics in NE Portland, NW Portland, and Lake Oswego adopted a family through the Christmas Family Adoption Program. The Christmas Family Adoption Foundation is a non-profit organization that identifies families who need help during the holidays in Oregon and Washington. They are the region's most active charity every Christmas, providing less fortunate families with household essentials and gift certificates for a wonderful holiday meal. The entire AFC/Doctors Express Portland team contributed to helping one special family this holiday season, including physicians, clinical staff, the sales team, and others. Donations were collected throughout December with dozens of great gifts being purchased and wrapped during the week of Dec. 14. Linda Stone, Lake Oswego Clinic Manager and lead coordinator of the Adopt a Family Project for AFC/Doctors Express Portland, could not contain her pride and excitement when asked about the urgent care clinic's involvement in the foundation. "It's really about executing our Core Purpose at Doctors Express. It says that we 'value each individual and commit to improve every life we touch with dignity, care, and compassion,'" Stone said. "Being involved in projects like this, in reality, is really just a small way to further achieve our purpose. We're very honored and fortunate to help this family. Giving assistance to those in need is something we do every day. During the holidays, we're more motivated to reach beyond the clinic," Stone added. Gifts that were donated on behalf of AFC/Doctors Express Portland included toys, puzzles, clothes, and gift cards to local retail and grocery stores. The entire gift package was excitedly delivered to The Christmas Family Adoption Foundation on Dec. 15. Upon arriving at the foundation, the gifts were then redelivered to the SE Portland family the next day -- an expecting single mother of three children ages 16, 8, and 2 with the baby girl due in March. This is the third year that AFC/Doctors Express Portland has participated in the annual Adopt a Family holiday giving project. Stone added that the entire clinic is looking forward to next year's Adopt a Family program and they hope their donations helped to give this year's family a holiday that they'll never forget. About AFC/Doctors Express Portland AFC/Doctors Express Portland offers the care patients need, whether it's treatment for injuries or illness, lab testing, vaccines, or physicals. AFC/Doctors Express Portland has experienced providers, a pharmacy, and an onsite lab for one-stop convenience. To learn more, visit http://www.doctorsexpressportland.com. Gaia logo The I Live Yoga Tour is designed to inspire and encourage participation in healthy personal transformations through the practice of yoga. And, we're looking for two dynamic yoga practitioners to represent the tour across the country... Gaia and Yoga Journal today announced the launch of the first ever Live Be Yoga Tour, an interactive, community outreach program, and the search for two brand ambassadors. The Live Be Yoga Tour is designed to inspire and encourage participation in healthy personal transformations through the practice of yoga, said Carin Gorrell, Yoga Journal editor in chief. Were looking for two dynamic yoga practitioners to represent the tour across the country at events, in the communities and on-camera. Selected brand ambassadors will be on the inaugural Live Be Yoga Tour from April through September 2016. In addition to a paycheck, Yoga Journal and Gaia will provide the tour vehicle as well as the costs of gas, food, and lodging. Interested yoga practitioners should apply at yogajournal.com/livebeyoga. Yoga Journal and Gaia are coming together with their shared vision to help transform peoples lives to be happier, healthier, and more fulfilled both on and off the yoga mat. The Live Be Yoga Tour will visit more than 50 yoga studios, festivals, events, and more around the country. At each stop, the Live Be Yoga Tour will ask yogis to share on camera their inspiring stories of how they discovered yoga in the studio and at home, how it transforms their lives, and how they continue to find life balance through living their yoga. The tour will also discover and spotlight the countrys most talented yoga teachers and top locations for yoga practice, retreats, and teacher-trainings. The tours full schedule will be determined in Q1 of 2016, but has some milestone stops at YJ Live! events where practitioners connect with their local yoga communities. The Live Be Yoga Tour will begin at YJ LIVE! New York City in early April, make its way across the country to YJ LIVE! San Diego in June, and wrap up at YJ LIVE! Estes Park Colorado in September. The #LiveBeYoga movement can be followed online at yogajournal.com/livebeyoga, where viewers will be able to access exclusive content, interviews, and teachings. About Yoga Journal Founded in 1975 by members of the California Yoga Teachers Association, Yoga Journal (yogajournal.com) offers all practitionersfrom beginners to mastersexpert information on how to live a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life both on and off the mat. Every day, Yoga Journal engages its print, online, and live audience with top teacher insights and in-depth reporting on poses, breathing, meditation, nutrition, health, trends, and more. Always informative and inspiring, the magazines welcoming, inclusive point of view puts every reader in front of the worlds best teachers. With 12 international editions spanning 28 countries, and five national live events annually, Yoga Journal is the worlds largest and most influential yoga brand. About Gaia Gaia, previously Gaiam TV, is a streaming video subscription service offering exclusive streaming conscious-media content. Gaias library contains more than 7,000 films, documentaries and original programs to guide its viewers on their journeys of personal growth, spirituality and seeking truth. Gaia offers members the unique capability to download content for offline viewing. Gaia is currently available on the Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, Google Chromecast, Roku and internet browsers. For more information, visit http://www.Gaia.com. ### For more information contact: Dayna Macy, dmacy(at)aimmedia(dot)com 415-591-0729 or Nicole Gladden, ngladden(at)dstreetpr(dot)com 404-861-4440 SMC and The Technology Association of Georgia Supply Chain & Logistics Society cordially invites its members and the logistics community at large to attend the inaugural 2016 SMC Logistics Technology Summit. This year, TAG is partnering with SMC as the organization works to bring this new offering to technology professionals throughout Georgia. The event, which will be hosted on January 19 at the Loews Atlanta Hotel, serves as a TAG monthly society meeting for the supply chain and logistics chapter of its membership. For more information and to register, visit https://www.123signup.com/event?id=pbtbb. The supply chain technology event, which offers attendees a full day of sessions focused on emerging IT trends and opportunities, is part of SMC three-day Jump Start 2016 conference. SMC has picked topics for the LTS that will stimulate discussion about the technology of transportation and strengthen the tech community within Georgia and nationwide. To accomplish this task, panelists and speakers will discuss the evolution of tracking technology, surviving the data explosion, emerging tools for 3PLs, and autonomous delivery vehicles. Jump Start audiences include representatives from some of the most recognized regional and national trucking, shipping, logistics and technology companies, so first-time attendees are sure to witness lively, interactive discussion among attendees as they analyze industry trends and topics. The Logistics Technology Summit brings together some of the top thought leaders in the industry. Panelists and speakers include Jon Fox, vice president of strategy, Load Delivered Logistics; Chris Jones, executive vice president of marketing and services, Descartes; Jeff Metersky, vice president of Solutions Strategy, Llamasoft; and Ken Pehanick, president and CEO, SaaS Transportation. Please note: attendees interested in attending the IGNITE networking event from 4:00 6:30 should contact Amy Stankosky, Phone: 770.486.5802, E-mail: astankosky@smc3.com About TAG Supply Chain & Logistics The goal of the TAG Supply Chain & Logistics Society is to bring together industry professionals from logistic functions to share insights and leading practices. Together we will be the catalyst for identifying current and future value driven practices and innovative technology solutions to support the global supply chain. As a result, we will deliver sustainable ideas, new ways of working together, information sharing, and professional growth that will help the community positively improve the flow of goods and services to meet customer's requirements in the 21st century. About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) TAG is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 28,000 members through regional chapters in Metro Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia, and Savannah. TAGs mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgias technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides networking and educational programs; celebrates Georgias technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the states economic climate for technology. TAG hosts over 200 events each year and serves as an umbrella organization for 34 professional societies. For more information visit the TAG website at http://www.tagonline.org. About SMC SMC is the leading provider of data, technology and education as an integrated solution to the freight transportation community. SMC delivers its core competencyLTL pricing expertisethrough collaborative pricing technology that supports end-to-end, ongoing predictability in shipper/3PL-carrier relationships. Best known for its CzarLite, Bid$ense and RateWare solutions, the company serves more than 5,000 customers throughout North America, including shippers, carriers, logistics service providers and freight-payment companies. The company also partners with leading transportation software developers for complete interoperability. The beauty of the Diagnotes platform is it allows our members to use it in any way they want. It makes our providers more accessible, with a technology platform that is secure, HIPAA compliant, and easy to use. Physicians, patients, nurses, caregivers and others in central Indiana will be able to collaborate on a secure texting platform, thanks to a new agreement signed between Suburban Health Organization (SHO) and Diagnotes, an Indiana-based Health IT company. Nine SHO member organizations can now more readily utilize Diagnotes to send and receive HIPAA-compliant text messages, consolidate on-call schedules, access patient medical records and more, potentially connecting them to any patient or physician in their community. Major Hospital has been using Diagnotes for more than a year. Hancock Regional Hospital, Hendricks Regional Health and Margaret Mary Health recently signed on with Diagnotes, and officials at SHO say other member hospitals are now considering adding on the service. SHO is an organization of independent central Indiana hospitals/hospital systems working together to promote clinical alignment, to maximize quality performance, and to provide shared services across its member organizations. Our Suburban Hospitals have varied needs for secure communication practices, said Dr. Craig Wilson, CMO of SHO. Some want to more effectively connect with patients. Some want to connect employed and independent ambulatory physicians with the care teams at their hospitals. Others may want to have texting connections with caregivers at their long-term care centers in order to maximize safe post-acute transitions of care. The beauty of the Diagnotes platform is it allows our members to use it in any way they want. It makes our providers more accessible, with a technology platform that is secure, HIPAA compliant, and easy to use. We expect it to improve operational efficiencies and facilitate better healthcare delivery for our members who choose to use it, he said. With 600 employed physicians and many more who have hospital privileges, the impact of a move to Diagnotes by any one of the SHO Hospitals could be significant. In aggregate, SHO Hospitals currently staff over 750 inpatient beds, are affiliated with over 200 nursing homes, and oversee approximately 23,000 inpatient discharges and 1 million outpatient visits annually. Diagnotes makes it possible for physicians and care teams to record their communications back and forth with each other as they collaborate on one patient, both one to one, and in team-based messages. Beyond secure texting, SHO members can record the work physicians and nurses do when handling patient calls and conferencing with each other on patient care. This may allow them to receive reimbursement from Medicare for the time they spend on non-face-to-face care of patients with chronic conditions like Diabetes or Heart Disease. The technology will allow the organization added flexibility to offer patient care and place a renewed focus on patient education and outreach, Wilson said. We are excited about the potential our technology has for Suburban Health Organization, said David Wortman, CEO of Diagnotes. We believe it will help the hospitals rethink the way they communicate with patients, and with each other. Other clients have used our platform to deliver care to patients in a more collaborative way. The beauty of this agreement is it will allow SHO member health systems to leverage our communication platform in ways that work best for them, he added. About Diagnotes: Diagnotes, Inc. is an Indianapolis-based health IT company, dedicated to providing trackable and HIPAA-compliant communications between patients, physicians and their care teams. With Diagnotes, users can exchange messages and access key information from a patients electronic medical record from any location on any device ensuring compliance while improving care team effectiveness. By enabling more effective collaboration, Diagnotes increases revenue, decreases cost, and enhances both provider and patient satisfaction. For more information about Diagnotes, visit http://www.diagnotes.com. About Suburban Health Organization: Suburban Health Organization (SHO) is a partnership of Central Indiana Hospitals that work together to promote quality, efficiency and patient access. SHO supports its hospitals, its physicians and the communities they serve through the development of strategic initiatives and shared services. From quality initiatives and physician recruitment, to managed care contracting, and a risk retention group, the strength and diversity of these services help make SHOs hospitals and physicians one of the leading provider networks in Central Indiana. For more information about SHO, visit http://www.suburbanhealth.com. Im tremendously proud of what we were able to give back this year. The dedication of all our supported dentists and team members made it possible. Heartland Dental, LLC, the largest dental support organization in the United States, provided over $3.6 million in charitable donations in 2015. This total includes free dental care, as well as other donations and sponsorship opportunities. Giving back has always been a pillar of Heartland Dental, both in donating to worthy causes here in the Effingham community and nationwide, said Rick Workman, DMD, founder and active executive chairman at Heartland Dental. Im tremendously proud of what we were able to give back this year. The dedication of all our supported dentists and team members made it possible. I cant wait to continue this trend into the New Year. Heartland Dental donated over $3.2 million in free dental care alone. This includes over $2.1 million from free dentistry events held by Heartland Dental supported offices, as well as over $930,000 from Heartland Dental supported continuing education initiatives, such as the Aesthetic Continuum. Over $390,000 was also given to various donations and sponsorships. Dentists attend dental school to learn the skills and knowledge that allow them to provide the gift of oral health. As dentists, that is their mission to support the health and livelihood of the communities they serve. But in addition to every day service, there are many more opportunities for dentists to expand community involvement on a mass scale. These opportunities help them reach out to even more patients in need, showcase their commitment, build long-lasting, positive reputations and unite their teams under the same cause and mindset, added Dr. Workman. Im thrilled that so many Heartland Dental supported offices are donating their time and effort to help those who do not have regular access to dental care. About Heartland Dental Heartland Dental, LLC is the largest dental support organization in the United States with more than 700 supported dental offices located in 32 states. Based in Effingham, Illinois and founded by Rick Workman, DMD, Heartland Dental offers supported dentists and team members continuing professional education and leadership training, along with a variety of non-clinical administrative services including staffing, human relations, procurement, administration, financial, marketing, and information technology. For more information, visit http://www.Heartland.com. Follow Heartland Dental on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. My team and I are pleased to become a part of Murchison & Cumming and look forward to adding to dynamic hospitality team, said Eiler. Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that James O. Eiler has joined the firms Los Angeles office as a Partner in the Hospitality Law practice group. Through the span of nearly 30 years, Mr. Eiler has become one of Californias most recognized hospitality law attorneys. Having represented a variety of claims including general negligence, premises liability, food borne illness and foreign objects, Legionella and other toxic torts, civil rights, ADA, franchise litigation and many more, Mr. Eiler understands risks associated with the hospitality industry. Mr. Eiler grew up in the hotel and restaurant industry in Las Vegas. With a father who helped opened the Stardust Hotel in 1958 and a mother who was employed at the Sands Hotel, he has worked nearly every department there is in the hotel industry. Mr. Eiler has more than 10 years of hotel operations experience, even working full time during his first year of law school as a front office manager for a resort hotel in Anaheim, California. A sought after author and speaker, Mr. Eiler brings his years of experience as a thought leader and industry expert to the Hospitality Law community. As an active participant in several key trade industry associations, he also helps shape regulations and legislation affecting the hospitality industries on an ongoing basis. We are very excited to have James and his team join our firm in general, and our hospitality practice group in particular, said Managing Partner Dan L. Longo. We look forward to combining our experience in this area with the new clients that James brings with him. Mr. Eiler lectures on Hospitality Law at California State University Long Beach and is a former Adjunct Professor of Hospitality Law for the William F. Harrah School of Hotel Management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, dedicating much of his career to mentoring young lawyers as his way of giving back to the legal profession. My team and I are pleased to become a part of Murchison & Cumming and look forward to adding to dynamic hospitality team, said Eiler. A graduate of University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a B.S. in Hotel & Restaurant Administration, Mr. Eiler continued onto law school at Western State University College of Law where he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award for Contracts, profiled in Who's Who in American Law, and was on the National Dean's List. About Murchison & Cumming, LLP With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated civil litigation firm with five offices in California and Las Vegas, whose attorneys specialize in the defense of domestic and international businesses, insurers and individuals, at trial and on appeal. The firm's attorneys also handle employment matters and business transactions. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks. Michael J. Nunez I am honored and humbled by the trust that the senior partners have placed in me and I look forward to many more years in the office and in this market, said Mr. Nunez. Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Michael J. Nunez has been named a Senior Partner. This marks the first time that a Las Vegas Partner has been elevated to a Senior Partner since the branchs founding in 2001. Mr. Nunez focuses his practice on general and professional liability, hospitality, HOA, D&O, breaches of fiduciary duties, and employment related matters. He brings a unique background to his practice, being both an experienced trial lawyer and experienced appellate lawyer. Michael exemplified hard work and dedication from the moment we hired him way back when, I am happy and proud to welcome him as an equity partner in the firm, said Edmund G. Farrell, Senior Partner and Partner-in-Charge of the Los Angeles office. He has taken on every challenge thrown his way with dedication and resolve; he is a great asset and will help guide the firm to new heights in the future. A lifelong Angelino, Mr. Nunez found a home at Murchison & Cumming working with exceptional lawyers and making invaluable connections. When the opportunity presented itself to become the Partner-in-Charge of the Las Vegas office, Mr. Nunez saw this as perfect timing to increase the firms visibility in the market. He quickly became involved in the legal community and was a founding member of Las Vegas Defense Lawyers, the defense bar of Clark County, Nevada which now has more than 150 members. Mr. Nunez continues to serve on the Board of Directors. With a great team in place, Mr. Nunez has exciting prospects for the future development and expansion of the firms Las Vegas office. New and innovative businesses continue moving to Las Vegas, which increases the opportunity to service the clients in the community. I am honored and humbled by the trust that the senior partners have placed in me and I look forward to many more years in the office and in this market, said Mr. Nunez. Mr. Nunez is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Hastings College of Law. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is licensed to practice law in both California and Nevada. About Murchison & Cumming, LLP With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated civil litigation firm with five offices in California and Las Vegas, whose attorneys specialize in the defense of domestic and international businesses, insurers and individuals, at trial and on appeal. The firm's attorneys also handle employment matters and business transactions. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks. Source Marketing Not many people get to self-actualise and see the physical evidence of their dreams being fulfilled, but it is important to remember that happiness and success are not finite resources. Simply put the notion is centred around the principle that mankind attracts the experiences that it thinks about - good or bad. In this way the concept suggests that realities are a mirrored reflection of the thoughts that exist in the mind, and should be kept positive in order to achieve happiness and practically enhance the quality of life. About Source Marketing Direct: http://sourcemarketingdirect.com/ Advocates and believers of the principle suggest by envisaging or visualising ambitions and life goals instead of current situations or realities can have significantly positive impacts on personal lives. At the same time being upset or disappointed with something only attracts more negative emotion, and magnifies even the smallest of setbacks. Source Marketing Directs Managing Director Hector Montalvo argues that thinking about something means inviting it in to the psyche, even unwittingly. One of the key principles of the law is the understanding that constantly thinking about a certain idea makes it grow bigger, and more powerful. Hector Montalvo believes that this metaphysical principle causes ones thoughts to exert a tangible impact on success in an entrepreneurial or business environment: The world is full of entrepreneurs and business owners who had big ideas, dared to dream big, and now have reaped the rewards in both their business and personal life. Not many people get to self-actualise and see the physical evidence of their dreams being fulfilled, but it is important to remember that happiness and success are not finite resources. There is an abundance of scientific research that demonstrates the benefits of positive thinking, and realigning business mentality with positivity can also produce more short-term, everyday benefits. Montalvo believes that its important to channel this mind-set for success: It is also possible to utilise the law of attraction to aid more practical business targets of attracting new clients, increasing sales and constructing new business ventures. Wanting and desiring to achieve a goal means associating it with a positive emotion, so when you think about it you only feel positive. The role of mentality cannot be overstated enough - and once harnessed properly can bring us prosperity in both our personal and business spheres of life. Source Marketing Direct is an outsourced sales and marketing firm based in London. The firm provide productive solutions for clients needs; resulting in clients increasing their customer base and revenues so they can stay competitive within their own market. The Managing Director still expects to continue his success into 2016, both personally as an entrepreneur, and with his business Source Marketing Direct. If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. If you thought the recent lull in K-12 talk on the presidential campaign trail meant candidates had forgotten how to throw shade when it comes to the Common Core State Standards, think again. In a speech last Tuesday in Waterloo, Iowa, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., excoriated the federal government under President Barack Obama for, among other things, trying to take over our schools with common core. I will repeal every single one of his illegal, unconstitutional executive orders that he has put in place, and Ill do it on my first day in office ... that means we are stopping any and all work on imposing common core on this country, Rubio told the crowd. See the video of his Waterloo remarks on common core below, at the 3:25 and 7:40 marks: Rubio got into a debate about the standards with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a common-core backer, during a GOP presidential debate last year. Common core isnt the subject of any presidential executive order , and the Obama administration hasnt required states to adopt it. (To the extent that standards were an issue in states waivers from No Child Left Behind, which the U.S. Department of Education used along with Race to the Top to encourage states adoption of the common core, they have been the subject of executive action.) But heres the key point: the new Every Student Succeeds Act prohibits the federal government from incentivizing, coercing, or otherwise pushing and nudging states into adopting any set of standards, including the common core. To be fair, many common-core opponents on both the left and right might not think thats much help at all. After all, ESSA doesnt ban the common core or discourage states from using it. But ESSA ostensibly gives Rubio what he wants concerning common core. Here, its worth noting that when Rubio had a chance to vote up or down on ESSA, he skipped last months vote . Fellow presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., also declined to vote on ESSA. The percentage of rural residents who have completed high school and some college increased between 2000 and 2014, although educational attainment levels remain lower for rural minority residents, according to a recent report. The U.S. Department of Agriculture examined rates of rural employment, poverty, and education levels for Rural America At a Glance 2015 . The report found that between 2000 and 2014, the percentage of rural adults with a four-year college degree increased by 4 percentage points while the percentage of rural residents without a high school diploma or GED decreased by 9 percentage points. Although this rate still lags urban areas, the report found that the percentage of rural adults who have an associates degree or have completed some college is now greater than that in urban areas. According to the USDA, educational attainment levels are lower for rural minorities, including black, Hispanic, and Native American residents. In 2014, only 13 percent of white rural residents had less than a high school diploma, compared to 40 percent of rural Hispanic residents and 25 percent of rural black residents. These attainment levels directly correspond to unemployment rates, according to the report. Rural residents with more education are more likely to be employed, due to a demand for more highly-skilled labor in rural areas. The report also looked into how education attainment rates have impacted rural child poverty and found that child poverty rates are higher in rural areas that have lower educational attainment rates. Overall, rural child poverty rose during the recession and has increased in post-recession years. In 2014, 25.2 percent of rural children lived in poverty compared to about 22 percent in 2007. How Much Does a Criminal Defense Attorney Cost? Criminal defense lawyers vary widely in quality and price. You can pay a lot for an attorney's fancy office but that is no indication of skill in court. Or -- if you are indigent -- you could end up with a truly top notch attorney with lots of experience, appointed by the state, whose fees you do not pay. Apart from how much a lawyer charges, there are many other factors that influence what you'll pay for a criminal defense attorney. Let's take a look at them here, so you can know what to expect when you hire a lawyer. Factors at Play How much you will pay for a lawyer depends on a lot of factors, including your charges, or the crimes in question, your goals and tolerance for legal process or your defense strategy, and your location. There is also the lawyer's fee structure to consider. Some lawyers charge on a per case basis and some at an hourly rate, while others might name an initial fee and adjust as the case continues. The severity of the charges you face also influence fees. A misdemeanor charge is less severe than a felony, for one, and then there are the facts of your case. If the state is operating with little evidence and your lawyer believes that a dismissal is possible, you might pay for initial court appearances and some negotiations with the prosecutor and be done with the matter. But if it is more complicated -- and most cases are -- you will have to decide whether to take a negotiated plea or go to trial. Sometimes the cost of pleading guilty is more than anyone can afford, and so a trial is necessary. And sometimes people cannot afford to take the risk of an unknown outcome at trial and their whole goal is just to negotiate a reasonable plea and move on. If you are accused of a crime and you are subject to incarceration, you are entitled to representation. This is unlike any other area of the law and the reason for the guarantee is that freedom is at stake. Where the state can take someone's liberty, the need for a fair process is highlighted, so the indigent accused are guaranteed a public defender. In other words, everyone needs a criminal defense attorney and money ought not be a factor in justice. Consult With Counsel Do not pick your lawyer by the price alone. Meet with the person, assess the attorney's communication skills, and hear what they have to say about your case. Do not assume that a high fee is a guarantee of good representation or that a very busy law office is a sign of successful representation. Some lawyers are good at business and not great representatives. A good defense lawyer will explain your case to you and give you realistic options. The best defense lawyer for you is the one who has the time and skills to handle your case the way you need it handled. Related Resources: News From Bulgaria Bulgarian PM Borisov Saw Insolence in the Overgas Gazprom Situation The Bulgarian PM stressed that the Russian side has expressed comprehension in the light of the extraordinary events AUTHOR: publics.bg Bulgarian PM Borisov shows a document said to be proving the nonexistent gas supply orders of Overgas bTV Bulgarian PM Boiko Borisov saw insolence in the situation with unsecured natural gas deliveries to domestic consumers in Bulgaria, which saw gas distribution company Overgas ask state-owned Bulgargaz to take over deliveries at 18.30 EET on December 31, 2015. Mr. Borisov explained this morning in the studio of bTV, that the government also envisaged using quantities from the Russian transit, if the need had arisen, even though this would have cost Bulgaria and extra 10 percent on the gas price. The Bulgarian PM stressed that the Russian side has expressed comprehension in the light of the extraordinary events. He explained this with the willingness of Moscow to have two pipes with a capacity of 10 bn cub. m each at the interconnector (Note from the editor: Mr. Borisov is most likely alluding to the Bulgaria Romania gas interconnector which is currently under construction). Returning to the gas supply situation, Bulgarias PM said that there could have been a failure in the countrys energy system, should all consumers using gas had switched to electricity for heating. Mr. Borisov went on to show a paper showing that the gas orders of Overgas to Gazprom were zero next to a zero. Gazprom warned us through the Bulgarian Energy Holding and Bulgargaz that one of our main distributors, responsible for the households supply is not making any orders, Mr. Borisov stated. The PM said that his relations with Mr. Sasho Donchev, CEO of Overgas remain rather good, despite the critical stance towards the government assumed by newspaper Sega, owned by the latter. What young readers need is a superheroor, at least, someone who knows how to write about one. The new National Ambassador for Young Peoples Literature is Gene Luen Yang, the current writer of DC Comics Superman series, winner of the Printz Award, and two-time National Book Award finalist. I was on my way to a middle school in October when my editor, Mark Siegel, called to tell me Id been chosen and swore me to secrecy, Yang recalled. I wasnt allowed to tell anyone, not even the escort who was taking me to the school. But I was super excited. Does anyone say no to this? Its an amazing opportunity. Yang succeeds Kate DiCamillo, who served on the seven-member committee of educators, librarians, and booksellers that selected her replacement. I did love these two years even more than I expected to, said DiCamillo. But its a lot of traveling so Im tired, but thrilled to be handing the torch to Gene, who is just a brilliant artist. DiCamillo said she had read Yangs graphic novel duology, Boxers and Saints, which knocked my socks off, but was also impressed by his ability to connect with the ambassadors key constituencies: the adult gatekeepers of childrens literature as well as the target audience. [Gene] can give a great presentation on the history of comics to a room full of adults but he is also fantastic with kids, DiCamillo said. Thats what you want: someone who is really good with both groups. The ambassador program was established in 2008, by the Childrens Book Council, Every Child a Reader, and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, to highlight the importance of young peoples literature in developing a literate, tolerant, informed citizenry. Yang will serve a two-year term, traveling the nation to champion diversity in all formsand formatswith his platform, Reading Without Walls. Reading breaks down the walls that divide us, he said. By reading, we get to know people outside of our own communities. We gain knowledge others dont expect us to have. We discover new and surprising passions. Reading is critical to our growth, both as individuals and as a society. In 2006, Yangs graphic novel, American Born Chinese (Macmillan/First Second) became the first graphic novel to be named a finalist for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Associations Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature. It also won an Eisner Award. Boxers and Saints (Macmillan/First Second), his two-volume graphic novel about the Boxer Rebellion, was a 2013 National Book Award finalist and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature. He is also the author of the Secret Coders series (with artist Mike Holmes). In addition to his work on the Superman comic book series, Yang is also the current writer for Nickelodeons Avatar: The Last Airbender comics. Yang is the first-ever graphic novelist to be selected as ambassador. In addition to DiCamillo, the post has been held by Jon Scieszka (20082009), Katherine Paterson (20102011), and Walter Dean Myers (20122013). What an inspired choice the selection committee has made, said Jon Yaged, president and publisher of Macmillan Childrens Publishing Group. [Yang] is a brilliant storyteller who makes meaningful and profound connections with readers of all ages. And he has been a de facto ambassador for reading, inclusion, and graphic novels for years. An inauguration ceremony will take place on January 7 at 11 a.m. in room LJ-119 of the Library of Congresss Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C. The event is open to the public; no tickets are required. Yang says his speech may also include a first. Im using slides. I dont know if the other ambassadors used slides but I always do, he said. Its a crutch. Michael Geist has rung in the new year with the first in a series of posts that set out, in eye-watering detail, the bowel-loosening terror of the effects that the secretly negotiated Trans Pacific Partnership would have on Canada if the country ratifies it. The first installment compares early, leaked drafts of the TPP with the final language to show how US negotiators ripped out all balance and safeguards in the "intellectual property" chapter. The earlier text, supported by New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, and Mexico, would have promoted the public domain, required "quality examination procedures during the granting of intellectual property rights," and supported each member's right to support public health. But once the US negotiators were done with the chapter, all of that was gone, replaced with this tepid language: The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights should contribute to the promotion of technological innovation and to the transfer and dissemination of technology, to the mutual advantage of producers and users of technological knowledge and in a manner conducive to social and economic welfare, and to a balance of rights and obligations. Geist has future installments planned on "copyright, privacy, Internet governance, and many other issues," one a day, until Feb 4. The Trouble with the TPP, Day 1: U.S. Blocks Balancing Objectives [Michael Geist] BURNS, Ore. (AP) Federal authorities kept their distance and made no immediate attempt Monday to retake a wildlife refuge in the remote high desert of Oregon after armed anti-government protesters seized it as part of a decades-long fight over public lands in the West. The group came to the frozen high desert of eastern Oregon to contest the prison sentences of two ranchers who set fire to federal land, but their ultimate goal is to turn over the property to local authorities so people can use it free of U.S. oversight. People across the globe have marveled that federal authorities have not moved to take back the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Residents say they have not seen a large presence of officers, and the government's tactic generally is to monitor the situation from afar but leave them be as long as they don't show signs of violence. That's how federal officials defused a high-profile 2014 standoff with Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy over grazing rights. Now Bundy's two sons are leading the push in Oregon. Ammon Bundy told reporters Monday that the group wants authorities to look into claims that local ranchers have been intimidated by the federal government. Bundy spoke at the refuge south of Burns, Oregon. He said the group calls itself Citizens for Constitutional Freedom and has sent a "demand for redress" to local, state and federal officials. They want a response within five days. Bundy did not say what the group would do if they get no response. Reporters have seen roughly 20 people at the remote national facility. The latest dispute traces its roots to the 1970s and the "Sagebrush Rebellion," a move by Western states like Nevada to increase local control over federal land. While ranchers and others complain of onerous federal rules, critics of the push for more local control have said the federal government should administer the public lands for the widest possible uses, including environmental and recreation. Residents of the tiny town of Burns are concerned about the potential for violence. Keith Landon, a longtime resident and employee at the Reid Country Store, said he knows local law enforcement officials who fear their kids will be targeted by the group. "I'm hoping most of it's just muscle, trying to push," he said. "But it's a scary thing." If the situation turns violent, Bundy contends that it will be because of the federal government's actions. "I mean, we're here to restore order. We're here to restore rights, and that can go peacefully and easily," he said. The ranchers whose cause has been the rallying cry also reject the group's support. Dwight and son Steven Hammond were convicted of arson three years ago for fires on federal land in 2001 and 2006. They served their original sentences three months for Dwight and one year for Steven but a judge ruled that the terms were too short under federal minimum sentencing laws. Both men were ordered back to prison for about four years each. They have said they plan to turn themselves in Monday. Kendra M. Matthews, an attorney for the men, said Monday they will seek clemency from President Obama. The Bundy brothers say the group plans to stay at the refuge as long as it takes. They declined to say how many people were at the property where several pickup trucks blocked the entrance and armed men wore camouflage and winter gear. The FBI is working with local and state authorities to "bring a peaceful resolution to the situation," the bureau said in a statement late Sunday. It said it is the agency in charge and would not release details about the law enforcement response to ensure the safety of officers and those at the refuge. Some are criticizing the lack of action, saying it is because those occupying the property are white. Landon, the longtime Burns resident, said he sympathizes with the Bundys' frustrations. Landon was a logger until the federal government declared the spotted owl a protected species in the 1980s, damaging the local logging industry. "It's hard to discredit what they're trying to do out there. But I don't want anybody hurt," he said. Karapet Kalajian, 71, was waiting in his car at Bellevue Memorial Park in Ontario on Saturday the eve of the anniversary of his wifes death when three family members arrived in another car, Ontario Police Sgt. Jeff Higbee said. The three relatives walked toward the grave of Kalajians wife, who died Jan. 3, 2011, of complications from cancer, Higbee said. Kalajian then stepped from his car and walked toward his wifes sister, Hripsime Minasyan, 59, and her husband, Misak Minasyan, 60, and opened fire. The couple, who lived in Los Angeles, died of their injuries. Kalajian then shot himself. The third relative, an elderly woman, was unharmed. Her identity was not released. Higbee said the murder-suicide was motivated by Kalajians difficulties in the years since his wifes death. For more than a year, Kalajian had become estranged from his extended family, Higbee said. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK In the classic film It's a Wonderful Life, protagonist George Bailey has to seeliterally see with his own eyeswhat life would be like without him before realizing his true worth. As an alternate reality unfolds before him, a despondent George slowly learns that the sacrifices he's made for his family and community are undeniably heroic. George Bailey's heroism is quiet. It is everyday. Right now, 5.5 million Americans are serving in similar anonymity. They are America's military caregivers: family and friends who care for America's ill or wounded service members and veterans. Military caregivers provide a range of indispensable services, saving the United States billions of dollars in health and long-term care costs. In the wake of recent research we undertook to shed light on the contributions and plight of this invisible yet indispensable population, we ask a question much like that posed to George Bailey: What would a world without America's military caregivers look like? Our research suggests that the answer is clear: A world without military caregivers would be a harsher one for all, particularly for those who have served. Military caregivers' sacrifices improve the lives of wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans, more of whom would suffer without them. A world without military caregivers would add to But caregiving does not come without a cost. Compared to non-caregivers, military caregivers consistently have worse health, more workplace problems, and greater strains in family relationships. This is worst among caregivers of those who served after September 11th. This burden is exacerbated by some very real risks. Aging parent caregivers, for instance, will not be able to provide support indefinitely. Meanwhile, young marriages between service members and veterans and their spouse caregivers may not survive the strains of the situation. (As many as one-third end in divorce.) But it doesn't have to be this way. Today, RAND releases the most comprehensive study of America's military caregivers to date. Funded by Caring for Military Families: The Elizabeth Dole Foundation, our report quantifies military caregiving in the United States, including how it affects individuals, their families, and society. We also examine current policies and programs that support military caregivers and identify gaps where caregivers' needs could be better met. Finally, we provide recommendations for Congress, health providers, and employers to better support our nation's hidden heroes. It's a Wonderful Life closes with George Bailey's friends and family uniting to lift him out of bankruptcy and depression. In one sense, they're helping him during a dark, difficult chapter in his life. In another, they're repaying him for years of service and selflessness. They're acknowledging his quiet heroism. Our research provides a starting point for the government, private sector, nonprofits, and society at large to now do the same for America's military caregivers. Because a world without them is simply unimaginable. Rajeev Ramchand is a senior behavioral and social scientist and Terri Tanielian is a senior social research analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Donald Daniels passes beneath a wooden sign on his way to class every morning, its surface chipped and scratched with graffiti. Its message, in all-capital letters, could have been the title of a recent RAND report that helped shift the very foundation of criminal justice reform efforts. EDUCATION, it says, KEY TO THE FUTURE. Daniels is an inmate at the California Institution for Men, a sprawling prison complex about 35 miles east of Los Angeles. He's 49 years old, a prison veteran with 14 felony convictions on his record. His latest offense, for making criminal threats, helped land him in one place where RAND's study showed he stands a good chance of turning his life around: a prison classroom. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Pro Photography Network Inmates who participate in any kind of educational program behind barsfrom remedial math to vocational auto shop to college-level coursesare up to 43 percent less likely to reoffend and return to prison, the study found. They also appear to be far more likely to find a job after their release, and the social stability that comes with it. Every dollar invested in correctional education, RAND concluded, saves nearly five in reincarceration costs over three years. For Daniels, something clicked in the basic-education prison classroom where he spends every afternoon; as evidence, he produces a red file folder stuffed with his schoolworkin which I'm getting A's! He speaks with the zeal of a new convert about finally getting his GED. Inmates who participate in any kind of educational program behind bars are up to 43 percent less likely to return to prison. I'm tired of society looking down at me, he says. I knew that I had to begin doing something different with my life. What I had been doing wasn't working. Education was the peek in the door that opened up my mind. A few numbers underscore the impact and importance of RAND's findings: More than 2.2 million people were locked up in American prisons or jails in 2013, the most recent year for which data are available; that's more than the state population of New Mexico. They are more likely to struggle with reading, to have learning disabilities, to have broken work histories and fewer job prospects. Around a third of all state prisoners never graduated from high school. And every year, more than 700,000 state and federal prisoners are released back into their communities, often with no greater life skills than they had when they went in. The result: Around 40 percent of them commit new crimes or violate their parole, and find themselves back behind bars within three years of walking free. Education, RAND showed, helps break that cycle. RAND's study, the largest of its kind ever undertaken, reviewed decades of research on correctional education and outcomes. It showed that education works regardless of the education level of the inmates, from those needing the most basic reading and math skills to those studying for college. It also showed that it was education itselfrather than something inherently unique about the inmates who enrolledthat made the difference. It really, for the first time, dispelled the myths about whether or not education helps inmates when they get out, said Lois Davis, a senior policy researcher at RAND who led the study. Education is, by far, such a clear winner. Regardless of what you think about inmates, what do you want for your community? she added. You have to understand that they all come back eventually. If you don't rehabilitate them, how are they going to successfully rejoin society? Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Pro Photography Network Reshaping the Conversation RAND's findings were so conclusive that they helped refocus the national debate over prison reform, from questions of whether correctional education could play a role, to how best to expand that role. State and federal correctional leaders, reform advocates, and editorial writers have since pointed to the RAND study as they call for more educational opportunities for inmates. RAND's findings were so conclusive that they helped refocus the national debate over prison reform. Arne Duncan, then U.S. Secretary of Education, cited the RAND research last year when he announced a pilot program to restore Pell college grants for some prisoners. Congress had banned prisoners from receiving the grants during the get-tough prison reforms of the 1990s. The current system works for no one, said Glenn E. Martin, who earned his associate's degree while serving six years in New York state prisons for armed robbery. He became a national spokesman for prison-reform efforts when he got out, founded a group called JustLeadershipUSA that seeks to halve the national incarceration rate, and recently met with President Obama to discuss prison reform. Government has a responsibility to do more of what works, he said, and less of what doesn't. A Second Chance Terry Keller just wants his GED. He sits near the front of the same basic-education classroom at the California Institution for Men, where Donald Daniels spends his days. Kellera wiry spark of a man, always quick with a hand when the teacher poses a questionis serving a three-year sentence for dealing cocaine. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Pro Photography Network I chose as a grown man to sell dope, he said during a recent class. If I wait for someone to give me [something else] to do, I'm going to be here forever. I have to go within myself and say it's time to start being a man. I take it upon myself. He boasts that he has never missed a class, that he's one math test away from getting that GED. It means strength, respectself-respect, you know? he says. Keller is 51 years old. Until now, he barely had an eighth-grade education. His story is not at all unique inside the American prison system. Research has shown that minorities, and especially African-American men like him, are vastly overrepresented in underperforming schools, dropout rates, suspension and expulsion statisticsand prisons. That puts prison education programs in a unique position to make up for some of those disparities, to offer a second chance to inmates like Keller. We've kind of failed them on the education piece, on the front end, RAND's Davis said. Once they're in the system, let's address that. America's support for correctional education has historically climbed and crashed as society's attitude toward prisoners swung between two extremes: reform-and-rehabilitate, or throw-away-the-key. Prison experts say we are in the midst of one such shift, as the tough-on-crime policies of the 1990s give way to a greater push for education and other programs to help prisoners reenter society. Yet challenges remain. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Pro Photography Network The recession squeezed prison budgets, and educational programs in particular. As part of its analysis, RAND surveyed correctional education directors in almost every state and found that most had cut their education budgetsin some cases, by more than 20 percent. A majority of the states had fewer teachers on prison payrolls, fewer courses on offer, and fewer students taking classes. Even as the recession ebbs, financial concerns continue to haunt efforts to reform prison education. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had to back away last year from a proposal to provide college courses in state prisons after legislators rebelled, in part over the cost. The Obama administration's push to reintroduce Pell grants for some prisoners was met by a bill in Congress, the Kids Before Cons Act, to block it. This is spending money that we don't have, said New York Congressman Chris Collins, the bill's sponsor. He said he supports GED classes and vocational training in prisons, but not willy-nilly college courses. We don't have enough money to pay today's bills, he added, let alone the president's trial program. Human Nature Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Pro Photography Network Sara Spencer teaches basic adult education in Classroom 4 at the California Institution for Men, where both Donald Daniels and Terry Keller spend their afternoons. She considers the classroom sacred ground, a place apart from the tough realities all around it. She knows that none of her students would likely choose to be there, learning algebra and social studies behind the walls of a prison. But she runs her classes with the passion of a true believer that education can open minds and change lives. My job isn't to punish them, she says. My job is to help empower them. She posed a question to the class on a recent afternoon: What is human nature? Donald Daniels sat up with an answer. Humans were born with choices, he offered, as other students in the class nodded. My choices have led me to this place for the past 29 years, in and out. Do I want to keep surviving, or do I want to live? Now I realize that I'm in a place to have that choice. If I want to keep going down a dead-end street, then I'm going to get to a dead end. Doug Irving The domestic terrorists who occupied the Malheur National Widlife Refuge Building in Burns, Oregon were mobilized over the plight of ranchers Dwight and Steve Hammond who were convicted of arson, sentenced to a year in prison, released after time-served, and then re-sentenced after the fed prosecutors appealed the judge's sentence. The Hammonds appear to have lied ferociously about why and how they were setting fires on their land (fires that spread to nearby federal land), and the judge who said that the five year minimum sentence for arson would violate their 8th amendment rights to be safeguarded against "cruel and unusual punishment" has a very selective view of how his colleagues sentence other people, especially black people, for much lesser offences. But when the feds went to an appeals court to get a longer sentence imposed, was there anything untoward going on? As former federal prosecutor Ken "Popehat" White explains, this is pretty much business-as-usual in the American justice system. It may be unfair, but it's not uncommon. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, before the Supreme Court ruled that the United States Sentencing Guidelines must be treated as recommendations and not as mandates, the government routinely appealed sentences when they concluded that the judge had mis-applied the Guidelines in the defendant's favor. Now that the appellate standard is "reasonableness" of the sentence, the government appeals on that basis less often, but still does so. The United States has always routinely appealed sentences when a district judge has refused to impose a mandatory minimum sentence. Traditionally the Department of Justice has jealously guarded the mandatory nature of mandatory minimum sentences, appealing judicial defiance of them even in otherwise unappealing cases. It's therefore not unusual at all that the government appealed the Hammonds' sentence. Nor is the Hammonds' return to prison unprecedented. If the trial court imposes a short sentence and the appellate court overturns that ruling and requires a longer sentence, that's the result. The alternative would be that trial judges could avoid appellate review of sentences by making them short enough that defendants would be done with them by the time the appellate court could review them. That might be appealing to defense lawyers, defendants, and judges who believe in the primacy of trial court discretion, but it's not the law. The U.S. v. Hammond appeal, reversal, and resentencing are not remarkable in the context of federal criminal law. Maybe they should be, but they aren't. Any suggestion that the proceedings represent a departure from the norm are incorrect. What Happened In The Hammond Sentencing In Oregon? A Lawsplainer (Image: gavel, bloomsberries, CC-BY-SA) A group of hackers that intend to target Islamic State (IS) online has claimed it was responsible for the recent cyber attack on the BBC, undertaken to test its own capabilities. It was only a test, we didn't exactly plan to take it down for multiple hours, the New World Hacking group said in a message to BBC technology correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones, which he later posted on Twitter. We realise sometimes what we do is not always the right choice, but without cyber hackers ... who is there to fight off online terrorists? they added. The attack resulted in the British broadcasters popular online news and iPlayer catch-up services being taken down for a few hours on New Years Eve. The US-based group claims it carried out a distributed denial of service attack, which tries to knock a site offline by swamping it with more traffic than it can cope with. The reason we really targeted [the] BBC is because we wanted to see our actual server power. The BBC has refused to comment on New World Hackings claim that it was responsible for the cyber attack. A member of the group, nicknamed Ownz, told BBC News website that the 12-strong groups other recent activities have included taking part in a campaign against the Ku Klux Klan and the #OpParis effort to identify IS social media accounts following the November attacks on the French capital. Russian environmental watchdog files lawsuit against Father Frost MOSCOW, January 4 (RAPSI) - The environmental protection authority, Rosprirodnadzor, has filed a lawsuit against Father Frost from the town of Veliky Ustyug seeking recovery of 15,000 (206$) rubles in compensation, RIA Novosti reported Sunday citing the Vologda Region Commercial Court. Parties have to present evidence in the case until January 21. The courts representative could not specify the cause of the watchdogs claim against Father Frosts residence in Veliky Ustyug. Veliky Ustyug became home to Father Frost in 1998. According to the official site of the Vologda Region, the project "Veliky Ustyug - Hometown of the Russian Father Frost" was initiated by then Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and Governor of the Vologda Oblast Vyacheslav Pozgalyov. The main purpose of the project is to acquaint the younger generation with the Russian national traditions and the culture of the Russian North as well as to attract Russian and foreign tourists to Veliky Ustyug, the site says. Russian lawmaker suggests banning officials relatives from doing business MOSCOW, January 4 (RAPSI) - Vadim Solovyov, a parliament member representing the Communist Party, is drafting a bill that would prohibit spouses and children of public officials, ministers, governors, heads of regional parliaments from doing business, RIA Novosti reported Sunday. The Anti-Corruption Fund led by opposition politician Alexey Navalny earlier released a publication that accused two sons of Russias Prosecutor General Yury Chaika, Artyom and Igor, of exploitation of their fathers contacts in their own interests. The authors of the article also accused several highest-ranked executives of the Prosecutor Generals Office of illegal assistance to the brothers business. Chaika said that the disseminated information is misleading and baseless. According to Prosecutor General, the article was written by order of chief executive of Hermitage Capital Management William Browder and intelligence agencies standing up for him. We have analyzed the situation related to Prosecutor Generals sons business and took a look at similar situations when children and spouses of some governors were actively involved in business. We came to a decision that the Civil Service Law should be amended, Solovyov said. The bill prohibits wives and husbands as well as children (irrespective of age) of high ranking officials appointed to their posts by the presidential decree or by other government authorities upon the recommendation of President, members of parliament and chairmen of regional legislative bodies, from participation in business activities. If spouses fictitiously annul their marriage but continue running house or business together, they would face fines of up to 1 million rubles ($13,700) and dismissal from office. Its very important to think about the different scenarios that youre going to plan for and be realistic about that, says Brookes about setting climate change targets, but also to set up a framework and approach that can be flexible as you do that. Call it the most tantalizing 2.6 seconds of streaming video, at least for the geopolitical geek set: A live shot on official Russian TV of a military briefing for President Vladimir Putin -- with a cutaway to an over-the-shoulder shot of a Russian general's briefing book, open to a page titled "Ocean Multipurpose System Status-6," with schematics of what appears to be a drone submarine -- armed with a nuclear warhead. What's it for? According to translations of the Russian text: "Purpose -- the defeat of the important economic facilities in the area of the enemy coast ... causing unacceptable damage to ... the country through the establishment of extensive zones of radioactive contamination, unsuitable for implementation in these areas of military, economic, business, or other activity for a long time." So, was this real -- an errant glance behind Russia's nuclear curtain? Or is this nuclear peekaboo a throwback to Soviet maskirovka -- staged deception to wrong-foot adversaries by making the mythical look real? Whatever the case, the reveal of Status-6 follows the unquestionably real November test of Russia's Nudol, a direct ascent anti-satellite missile -- which itself followed China's test of its own anti-satellite missile, the Dong Neng-3. In addition to demonstrating the capability to disable a U.S. satellite by "kinetic means" -- a collision at more than 10 times the speed of sound -- the impact would scatter space debris that could remain floating in orbital paths for centuries. The common thread? A desire by both countries to not only destroying enemy forces, but also enemy infrastructure. In the old nuclear strategy dichotomy of counter-force versus counter-value, this is a new category -- not aimed at military, nor civilian mass casualties, but something between: critical infrastructure, for military and civilian, whether in space or on land. Add these threats to the constant drizzle of cyberattacks on our financial networks, energy grid, and the like -- whether from Tehran, Pyongyang, or an Internet cafe in Raqqa -- and the odds grow shorter. Sooner or later, expect a hit. An unpleasant prospect, to be sure. What would it take for the U.S. to reconstitute the Internet -- or the global positioning system -- or major shipping and transportation corridors, or power grids - or any and all combinations of the above, and to do it from a standing start, when all of these incredibly complex systems have been evolved and improved over years and decades? The fact that we would rather not imagine these hypothetical horribles is no excuse for failing to anticipate how the task would be addressed. One thing is certain: As each of these systems is dependent on highly engineered materials, we would need more of the raw inputs -- more of the metals, materials, and composites which our modern dreams are made of -- and we'd need them absolutely, positively overnight. That would take more than merely punching up a website order form and submitting a request for hundreds of tons of the Periodic Table, with free shipping from some future FedEx drone fleet. In our world of just-in-time manufacturing, where piece-parts of the simplest objects are miraculously sourced from around the globe, we'd find out in a hurry where our raw materials come from -- and whether their nations of origin are inclined in time of crisis to fill or orders, or to let us do without. And that's the problem. Since the close of the U.S.-Soviet Cold War, the United States has forgotten that certain metals and minerals have strategic value, and where they come from matters. Instead, in a period of rapid globalization aided by the siren-song of becoming a "post-industrialized economy," the U.S. has seen its share of global mineral exploration spending drop from around 20 percent to less than 10 percent, leaving it largely dependent on other countries for key metals and minerals. As for where these metals and minerals come from, the implications for America's defense preparedness are ominous. In the Department of Defense's most recent National Defense Stockpile Requirements Report, of the 12 materials with identified shortfalls that the Pentagon report recommends for stockpiling, China is a significant supplier of all 12. As for Russia, the Soviet Union twice used resource access as a weapon, cutting off U.S. supply of chromium and manganese during the Berlin Blockade and the Korean War. Today, Russia is a key supplier of chromium, cobalt, palladium, and scandium. As a student of Soviet history, this lesson will not be lost on Russia's current leader. Of course there are redoubts within the U.S government, where serious experts express serious worry about our critical material shortfalls and the risks they pose. There are periodic reports that sound alarms, punctuated by stories about counterfeit parts or waivers for Chinese magnets on our advanced fighters -- even a "60 Minutes" expose on the subject. But nothing changes at the level of policy. Take the most publicized case of the rare earth elements, used in all manner of devices from smartphones to smart bombs, for which after decades of dominance, the U.S. found itself 100 percent dependent on Chinese supply. In 2015, after years of struggling to rebuild U.S. production capacity, the lone American rare earth mine went bankrupt. In the case of another U.S. proposed rare earths mining project, federal bureaucrats -- who took a year simply to put someone in charge to evaluate the project -- announced this month without explanation that there will be another year's delay in the review process. In 2011, the Obama administration launched an initiative to "support U.S. institutions in the effort to discover, manufacture, and deploy advanced materials twice as fast, at a fraction of the cost." Meanwhile, the time it takes to bring an American mine through permitting and into production -- already twice as slow as other mining nations -- is growing even longer, to a world's-worst seven to 10 years. It's going to prove difficult for American innovators to be twice as fast when it takes twice as long to produce the materials that are key to modern technology. The sad fact is that there is no reason for the U.S. to pursue a policy of unilateral disarmament in the resource wars. In the geological sense, the U.S. has the resources it needs to power the development of the world's most advanced military -- and, in the worst-case scenario, to recover from an attack aimed at knocking out vital space and terrestrial infrastructure. It's getting those resources out of the ground and into the hands of the scientists and engineers that's the problem today. No one's connecting the dots between the advanced apps that define our modern life, and the metals and minerals they're made of. Until we do, we'd better hope the horrific weapons like the one shown for a split-second on Russian TV are an elaborate ruse, and not a glimpse of our unfortunate future. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more. But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be and shouldnt be bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre. Have an interest in what youre writing about Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show. If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating. Include fascinating details Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to. Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read. Borrow some creative writing techniques Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting. consider your own opinion Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others. Cut the waffle Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem. Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose. employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them. You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect. Avoid repetitive phrasing Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable. Use some figurative language Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know. As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy. Employ rhetorical questions Anticipate the questions your reader might ask. One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration. Proofread Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them. 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Price: $ 630 Seller State of Residence: Florida Property Address: 102-108 West 57th Street State/Province: New York City: New York City Type: Attractions Number of Bedrooms: Studio Number of Bathrooms: 1 Zip/Postal Code: 10019 Location: 100**, New York, New York You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 10019 HOME > Duck Dynasty 'Duck Dynasty's Korie and Willie Robertson adopt a boy as adult foster daughter Rebecca Lo Robertson gets engaged By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/04/2016 stars are celebrating some big news, kicking off 2016 with a bang. ADVERTISEMENT Rebecca Lo Robertson, the foster daughter of Korie and Willie Robertson who joined the family at age 16 in 2004, has gotten engaged to boyfriend John Reed Loflin. In addition, Korie and Willie have decided to adopt a young boy. On Saturday, Rebecca shared her engagement news on Instagram by posting a picture of the couple looking out into the ocean together on a quiet beach. "Our story starts here......I said yes to my best friend for life," she The story begins with the 27-year-old reality TV star and Loflin, 29, looking for shells at sunset on a beach in Florida on New Year's Eve. "I was determined to find the best shell that day," Rebecca "We had been walking, searching for about an hour, and I saw this beautiful swirly shell hidden in the sand, and the ring was also hiding in there, and he got on his one knee as I pulled the ring out, and he said, 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?'" Rebecca said she was completely surprised and cried right away, yelling, "Yes!" Loflin then "teared up a little" as well. Loflin reportedly popped the question with a 14-karat-gold art deco-style ring with a large oval-shaped opal, Rebecca's birthstone and overall favorite stone. "Apparently all my friends and family knew, but everyone did a really good job hiding it from me; they have got some really good acting skills!... We are thinking nine months to a year [for our wedding]. That way we can calmly plan everything and go over fine details that we want," said Rebecca, who met Loflin on Halloween 2014 at a festival in New Orleans. "I knew from the first moment I met her [that I'd propose]," Loflin told Us. "I have been planning in my head to ask her for a long while now. I know we both want to start our lives together. And we would love to have children at a point as well!" "We are beyond happy and thankful for our family for leading up to this chapter of our lives," added Rebecca, "and we are so excited to see what God has in store for our future." Her sister, former Dancing with the Stars finalist Sadie Robertson, congratulated the pair on social media to express her excitement. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! "MY SISTER IS GETTING MARRIED TO HER BEST FRIEND!!!! I'm so happy for you Rebecca. John Reed...good luck joining our crazy family," she As for the second important announcement, Korie revealed on Instagram Sunday there's a new addition to their family. "We've had lots of questions about the cute kid popping up in our photos lately. We are excited to be in the process of adopting a new son! He's been with us since May, but we wanted some privacy and time for him and our family to bond before telling the world," Korie, 42, "He's amazing, and we are all so thrilled to have another kid around the house. Couldn't keep the good news to ourselves any longer! We appreciate your prayers and support for our family! Love, The Robertsons." Korie and her husband Willie, 43, share John Luke, 20; Sadie, 18; and Willie Jr. and Bella, both 13. In addition to Rebecca -- who joined for its fifth season -- the couple also adopted Willie Jr. when he was a baby. About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS stars are celebrating some big news, kicking off 2016 with a bang.Rebecca Lo Robertson, the foster daughter of Korie and Willie Robertson who joined the family at age 16 in 2004, has gotten engaged to boyfriend John Reed Loflin. In addition, Korie and Willie have decided to adopt a young boy.On Saturday, Rebecca shared her engagement news on Instagram by posting a picture of the couple looking out into the ocean together on a quiet beach."Our story starts here......I said yes to my best friend for life," she captioned the image on Saturday. "Thanks to everyone's love & blessing over our engagement! We are beyond excited!"The story begins with the 27-year-old reality TV star and Loflin, 29, looking for shells at sunset on a beach in Florida on New Year's Eve."I was determined to find the best shell that day," Rebecca told Us Weekly."We had been walking, searching for about an hour, and I saw this beautiful swirly shell hidden in the sand, and the ring was also hiding in there, and he got on his one knee as I pulled the ring out, and he said, 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?'"Rebecca said she was completely surprised and cried right away, yelling, "Yes!" Loflin then "teared up a little" as well.Loflin reportedly popped the question with a 14-karat-gold art deco-style ring with a large oval-shaped opal, Rebecca's birthstone and overall favorite stone."Apparently all my friends and family knew, but everyone did a really good job hiding it from me; they have got some really good acting skills!... We are thinking nine months to a year [for our wedding]. That way we can calmly plan everything and go over fine details that we want," said Rebecca, who met Loflin on Halloween 2014 at a festival in New Orleans."I knew from the first moment I met her [that I'd propose]," Loflin told Us. "I have been planning in my head to ask her for a long while now. I know we both want to start our lives together. And we would love to have children at a point as well!""We are beyond happy and thankful for our family for leading up to this chapter of our lives," added Rebecca, "and we are so excited to see what God has in store for our future."Her sister, former Dancing with the Stars finalist Sadie Robertson, congratulated the pair on social media to express her excitement."MY SISTER IS GETTING MARRIED TO HER BEST FRIEND!!!! I'm so happy for you Rebecca. John Reed...good luck joining our crazy family," she wrote . "So excited for y'all to began y'alls journey of life together. 1.1.16."As for the second important announcement, Korie revealed on Instagram Sunday there's a new addition to their family."We've had lots of questions about the cute kid popping up in our photos lately. We are excited to be in the process of adopting a new son! He's been with us since May, but we wanted some privacy and time for him and our family to bond before telling the world," Korie, 42, wrote "He's amazing, and we are all so thrilled to have another kid around the house. Couldn't keep the good news to ourselves any longer! We appreciate your prayers and support for our family! Love, The Robertsons."Korie and her husband Willie, 43, share John Luke, 20; Sadie, 18; and Willie Jr. and Bella, both 13. In addition to Rebecca -- who joined for its fifth season -- the couple also adopted Willie Jr. when he was a baby. DUCK DYNASTY MORE DUCK DYNASTY NEWS << PRIOR STORY Lamar Odom's son shares first picture of former NBA star since October hospitalization NEXT STORY >> 'The Voice' winner Jordan Smith proposes to girlfriend Kristen Denny Get more Reality TV World! Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or add our RSS feed. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Page generated Tue Oct 18, 2022 20:01 pm in 0.7408390045166 seconds Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Augusten Burroughs who authored "Running with Scissors," "Dry," and "Wolf at the Table," wants to sell his condo. The Battery Park City studio condo of the author at 225 Rector Place is plain and neutral and void of any whistles and bells. The property was purchased by Burroughs's past partner Dennis Pilsits for $600,767 in 2008, and transferred it over to Burroughs in 2011, presumably as a settlement of their split. According to city records, the #1 bestselling author is selling his pad for only $637,000 as reported by 6sqft news. The 615-square-foot condo offers picturesque views of Hudson and East Rivers and the Statue of Liberty. The interior of the condo looks pretty, and the floors and kitchen still looks nice and new. The building has a roof deck, a full-service gym, and indoor pool with a steam room. The Battery Park City condo of Burroughs is the first apartment he's ever owned. Yair Levy, the developer of Mr. Burrough's condo at 225 Rector Place, had actually fled the country, and it is true that the ill-fated conversion process of the building has been miserable as a tale from Mr. Burrough's own famously miserable childhood. Mr. Burroughs was worried that he had brought his bad fate to the building. In fact, when Mr. Burroughs built a house in 2005 with his former partner, Dennis Pilsits, in Amherst, Mass., he said he installed lightning protection, "because I'm the sort of person who gets struck by lightning." The house instead was flooded, wrecking the couple's first Christmas there as reported by the New York Times news. Mr. Burroughs's apartment is a comfortable home. "It fits the person I am," he said. "Not the person I'd like to be." Mr. Burroughs has skipped college and most of his high school, but he did spend nine months at the Control Data Institute. Born Christopher Robison, Mr. Burroughs changed his name on his 18th birthday to Augusten Xon Burroughs, where his last name derived from a manufacturer of mainframe computers. Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight John Mac McCraw had only been the Shasta County veterans service officer since July when he resigned last week. SHARE By David Benda of the Redding Record Searchlight On the job for less than six months, John "Mac" McCraw is out as Shasta County veterans service officer. Interim veterans service officer Dave Lanford said this morning that McCraw resigned Dec. 28 and took a teaching job either in Mississippi or Louisiana. Lanford wasn't certain where McCraw is teaching. "I very briefly met with Mac. He came in to pick some things up .. and he was gone fairly quickly," said Lanford, who was county veterans service officer for eight years until he retired in February 2010. Lanford, 67, did not know why McCraw chose to leave the post after just five months. "He was not fired. He resigned. That is pretty much what I know," Lanford said. Shasta County CEO Larry Lees said he was surprised McCraw resigned. "Yeah, I was not planning on this," Lees said, adding that he did not know why McCraw left. "He did not talk to me about his resignation." McCraw did come to Lees before Christmas and asked for vacation time because he wanted to visit family, Lees said. "I said, 'You bet. Enjoy yourself,'" Lees said. Lanford said the office is carrying on. "Right now, veterans are coming in here right and left. We are helping veterans. There is no change in what we are doing," Lanford said. Lees believes the office is in good hands with Lanford, a Redding resident since 1994. "So we are very fortunate, and I am very fortunate," Lees said. "Dave said he is willing to do whatever it takes." McCraw was hired in May and formally started as county veterans service officer on July 13. He is a 20-year-plus U.S. Air Force veteran. His appointment came after former veterans service officer L. Duke Medeiros was let go over allegations of inappropriate comments. "We actually have an existing list (of candidates) because Mac wasn't there too long and we will go back to that list first to see if anybody is willing and eligible and who would meet our requirements," Lees said, adding that he hopes to have a permanent replacement on board in about two months. SHARE By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight A Shasta County Superior Court judge has thrown out a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of a Redding teenager who died of alcohol poisoning at a friend's home in December 2008. Judge Monica Marlow ruled Monday there was no legal basis upon which Steve and Debbie Allen could prevail at trial in their lawsuit against Wallace Liberman, his wife, Debby, and their daughter. Redding attorney Patrick R. Beasley said Wednesday that he and the Liberman family welcomed Marlow's ruling. "It's been a major relief for everyone," he said, adding that the case has been difficult for all of those involved. "It's wonderful to have this behind them." Marlow's ruling, however, can be appealed to the Third District Appellate Court in Sacramento. Beasley said the attorney for the Allen family, Mark R. Swartz of Gold River, told Marlow at Monday's court hearing he would file an appeal. Swartz was in trial on Wednesday and was unavailable for comment. Steve Allen said Wednesday he disagreed with Marlow's ruling and it will be appealed. "It's about failure to provide care to a sick person," said Allen. "If it (his daughter's death) involved anything other than alcohol, the judge wouldn't have tossed out the lawsuit." Although a Dec. 5 status conference also has been scheduled concerning the lawsuit, that Superior Court hearing is expected to be canceled once all the final court paperwork has been filed. Steve and Debbie Allen sued the Liberman family last year, alleging the family was negligent in allowing their daughter to die at their home. But Marlow, citing case law and describing the events that took place that night and morning, determined otherwise. Shelby Allen, a 17-year-old Foothill High School junior, died Dec. 20, 2008, after a night drinking with the Libermans' daughter and another teen at the Libermans' Old Alturas Road home. Sheriff's investigators said the teens had been drinking heavily while the Libermans slept upstairs. "It is an undisputed fact that Wallace and Debby Liberman did not authorize" the drinking by the teens, Marlow wrote in her decision. But whether they told the girls outright that they were not to drink, or if they simply implied it, is a matter of dispute. Their daughter is not being identified by the Record Searchlight because she was a minor at the time of Shelby's death. She had been charged by Shasta County's prosecutors with involuntary manslaughter, but the case was dismissed in November 2009 by a juvenile court judge. In the 17-page wrongful death lawsuit filed last year by Steve and Debbie Allen, they claimed Wallace and Debby Liberman were negligent because they maintained an "open bar" at their home on the night in question and failed to check on the welfare of Shelby Allen when she was a guest there. Had they checked, the lawsuit says, they would have discovered that Shelby was unconscious from drinking 15 shots of vodka and lying on the floor of a bathroom. They then could have helped the girl and called an ambulance, the lawsuit claims. But in her decision, Marlow, who cited a state law and other cases, said that "social hosts" who furnish alcoholic beverages to a person may not be legally accountable for damages suffered by that person resulting from the consumption of those beverages. "It would be anomalous for a social host to be immune from liability when the social host offers alcoholic beverages to guests, but deny such immunity when guests help themselves to the host's alcoholic beverages," Marlow wrote. That social host law since has been amended by the California Legislature to say adults who "knowingly" provide alcohol to minors at social gatherings could be held liable if the minors are subsequently injured or killed, but that amendment is not retroactive. Since the death of her daughter, Debbie Allen has worked to educate children about the dangers of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning and also created Shelby's Rules, an alcohol poisoning education foundation. SHARE In the 1960s, a flip but effective phrase summed up youth's rebelliousness: "Don't trust anyone over 30." It's more fitting for today's student activists than it was 50 years ago. The post-millennials now face a far deeper generational divide than the one between baby boomers and their parents. And the nation faces a crisis if the divide persists. The mostly white, mostly middle-class boomers on college campuses in the 1960s got swept up in a variety of causes Vietnam, civil rights, feminism questioning authority more than their Depression- and World War II-era parents. Yet it could be argued that most of them had little reason in general to object to the status quo. They had benefited from post-World War II prosperity and government programs, such as the GI Bill, that allowed their parents to raise them in comfortable suburban homes and send them to free, decent public schools. Later, Great Society initiatives such as the Higher Education Act of 1965 enabled them to attend college in historic numbers at a reasonable cost, with jobs awaiting. Back then, public investments in America's families and youth were embraced by older generations. The situation and the demography is much different today. Youth in the U.S. is now highly diverse. Racial minorities, not always from the middle class, represent half of the students in the nation's K-12 public schools. That diversity will increase: Since the 2010 census, in 46 out of 50 states and in nearly 9 out of 10 of the country's 3,100 counties, more white youths have turned 20 than were born or in-migrated. By 2023, whites will comprise less than half of the U.S. population under age 30. More important, the entire white working-age population will decline by 12 million over the next 15 years because of aging and retirement; young Latinos, blacks, Asians and others must take their place. This new majority of young people will have far fewer advantages compared with the white-majority boomers in the '60s. Four-year college enrollment for black and Latino students is well below whites', compounded by high attrition rates. Should this continue, the nation will see a drop in college graduates after 2020. Moreover, income inequality hits the younger minorities particularly hard, shown by their high rates of child poverty. Many blacks and Latinos attend highly segregated, under-resourced public schools and lack the finances and guidance to get into programs that are pathways to the middle class. These facts, and America's demographic future, put recent campus protests into perspective. The complaints voiced by black, Latinos and others (and their white allies) indicate that a racially prejudicial environment still exists at four-year colleges, which remain more white (61 percent) than the students in the K-12 pipeline. Yet these slow-to-change institutions must successfully invest in diversity, making minorities' contributions, voices and concerns central to their educational mission. The message needs to be heeded beyond college campuses as well, by public officials, corporations, even city police forces: Investing in the success of today's diverse youth is critical for the entire nation, which needs a productive labor force and its contributions to social programs. Those baby boomers more concerned with lowering their taxes than investing in the younger generation in particular need to hear the message. Given the choice of a larger government with more services and a smaller government with limited services and lower taxes, more white boomers than millennial or Gen X minorities choose the latter, according to a 2013 Pew survey. And those states with the largest gains in minority children, but mostly white seniors Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Arizona rank among the lowest third of states on a measure of child education, health and other areas. Such attitudes among many older whites shouldn't necessarily be interpreted as racist. Instead they reflect a fear of the unknown, potential negative economic consequences for themselves, and a lack of personal connection with the younger generation. It would be understandable if college students chanted: "Don't trust anyone over 30, and especially don't trust anyone over 50." Older, white Americans must recognize diversity's importance to our future. William H. Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a population studies professor at the University of Michigan, is author of "Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics are Remaking America." He wrote this for the Los Angeles Times. SHARE Since Congress created the first inspectors general for federal agencies in 1978, these in-house watchdogs have proved their worth again and again. Inspectors general have investigated the CIA's inhumane "enhanced interrogation methods," revealed abuses in the FBI's acquisition of telephone and other records, and documented the selective enforcement by the Internal Revenue Service of regulations governing political spending by tax-exempt groups. Given the nature of their mission, it is not terribly surprising to learn from inspectors general for several federal agencies that their work is being hampered by the unwillingness of the officials they monitor to provide some necessary information despite the fact that the Inspector General Act requires that inspectors general have access to "all records, reports, audits, reviews, documents, papers, recommendations or other material" necessary to do their job. The Justice Department has come under particular and deserved criticism for stymieing the work of its inspector general. Beginning in 2010, FBI lawyers argued that some records couldn't be shared because of protections in federal law. In July, the department's Office of Legal Counsel concluded that the inspector general could be denied access to some information in three categories: the contents of wiretaps, grand jury proceedings and credit information. The author of that opinion, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karl R. Thompson, concluded that the Inspector General Act's requirement that inspectors general have access to "all records" must be qualified in light of the provisions of the federal Wiretap Act, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and Section 626 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. His opinion said that the department could provide the inspector general with information protected by these laws for "many, but not all" of its investigations. That isn't good enough for Michael E. Horowitz, the department's inspector general, who said that without greater access "our office's ability to conduct its work will be significantly impaired." But the problem isn't confined to the Justice Department. In a letter to congressional leaders, the council representing inspectors general from throughout the government warned that the Office of Legal Counsel's opinion "represents a potentially serious challenge to the authority of every inspector general and our collective ability to conduct our work thoroughly, independently and in a timely manner." In fairness to the Justice Department, laws must be read in conjunction with others. And, legal interpretation aside, it's important to protect the privacy of personal information, including financial records and the products of electronic surveillance, which can capture private conversations of innocent people. But in such sensitive situations, information can be provided to inspectors general with the understanding that it will be redacted in any public report. A Justice Department spokeswoman said that the department would support legislation to clarify Congress' intent. Fortunately, there is a bipartisan effort in Congress to make it clear that, irrespective of other laws, inspectors general are entitled to "all records" necessary for them to perform their vital function. Enacting such a law must be a priority when Congress returns to work. Los Angeles Times Nathan Solis/Record Searchlight Bert Lunford of Anderson, enjoyed a brief pause between the winter storms Sunday at Anderson River Park as he fished for bass. SHARE By R-S Staff, News Services Forecasters said a series of storms are expected to bring heavy rainfall and snow to drought-parched California, including Redding, this week. The storm that moved in Sunday morning was expected to pick up strength and cover a larger area of Northern California later in the day, the National Weather Service said. A second, stronger storm is forecast to arrive Monday night and Tuesday and bring in about a half an inch of rain. That system will be packed with gusty winds and heavier rain, said forecaster Johnny Powell. Redding is expected to receive 2 inches of rain starting today and into Tuesday, according to meteorologist Idamis Del Valle with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. Since Oct. 1 Redding has received 9.86 inches of rain, slightly below an average of 13.24 for this time of year. Tuesday will see a high of 50 in Redding, according to the weather service, with heavy showers persisting into the evening. Yet another round of rain and gusty winds is expected Wednesday and Thursday, when heavy rain is forecast for the Santa Cruz and Santa Lucia mountain ranges. "Friday looks like a dry, clear day but more rain is expected Saturday," Powell said. Powell said about 2 feet of fresh snow are expected to fall this week in the Sierra Nevada's highest points. Snowpack levels for Northern California, like in the northern Sierra, are 113 percent of average, but according to meteorologist Brian Garcia with the National Weather Service in Eureka, this is just above average. "Come spring melt, this can go toward filling up the reservoirs in Northern California and it might put a dent in the drought conditions. But no matter what happens this water year, conservation measures still need to be applied. We will not be out of our long term drought with this year's snowpack levels," Garcia said. With recent rainfall Lake Shasta has seen a slight uptick in its storage of water, according to the Department of Water Resources. Currently Lake Shasta is at 31 percent water capacity and about 50 percent for this time of year. Other regions measuring snowpacks, Central and Southern Sierra, show 122 and 91 percent compared to normal averages, according to the Department of Water Resources. As Northern California sits on the fulcrum of El Nino, it will not receive as much rain as Southern California, but Garcia agrees it will be a wet season all the same. Meteorologists agree we are beginning to see signals of the coming El Nino season, but how many strong storms the North State will see during this wet season is anyone's guess. Meanwhile Southern California is bracing for a series of storms expected to begin late Sunday that could last all week. The service said persistent rainy conditions could put some Los Angeles County communities at risk of flash flooding with mud and debris flows, especially in wildfire burn areas. Meat labels are seen at a grocery store in Washington in this 2015 photo. After more than a decade of wrangling, Congress repealed a meat labeling law last month that required retailers to include the animals country of origin on packages of pork and beef. (Andrew Harnik / AP) Since 2013, American consumers have seen labels on their meat telling them where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered. But in late December, Congress repealed the law that requires Country of Origin Labeling, otherwise known as COOL. So is this a good thing or a bad thing? That depends on whom you ask. It's an issue that has created some strange bedfellows in industry, politics, agriculture and trade circles. Here's what you should know: Advertisement What proponents say: For supporters of COOL, the debate is about consumers' rights to know where their meat comes from. They cite reasons of food safety, sustainability and support for domestic farmers. "Some people just want to spend their dollars closer to home," says Patty Lovera assistant director of Food & Water Watch, which supports COOL. "But there are also countries that we take products from that have had problems with mad cow disease and foot and mouth disease. Some folks might look at that (information) and think this is a risk, but how are they supposed to know if it's not labeled?" Advertisement What opponents say: For opponents of COOL, the regulation represents costly tracking and labeling; more than a billion dollars in potential retaliatory tariffs and a signal to our trading partners that the U.S. is not willing to abide by international trade decisions. Representatives of industrial meatpacking and processing say they don't want to stop Americans from knowing where their meat comes from, but claim that there are other ways to find out. "If meat comes from another country direct to retail it must be labeled from that country," says Eric Mittenthal of the North American Meat Institute. "That has long been the law. Otherwise if it's processed in a U.S. facility under (Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service) inspection it is marked as such. If companies decide to offer more detail they may, but we believe that should be voluntary so that consumers may be the ultimate judge of what they value." What consumers think: Each faction cites conflicting studies to support its point. COOL opponents cite a 2012 University of Kansas study showing minimal demand. But COOL supporters cite a 2013 poll by the Consumer Federation of America suggesting that 87 percent of consumers want COOL labeling. Some meats are exempt: The final repeal applies to pork and beef but not to chicken (as was suggested in some proposals) and lamb products, which both still do need labels. Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > This wasn't a solo act: The repeal came stuffed into a $1.15 trillion omnibus spending bill that contained a lot of controversial food and agriculture provisions baked right into it like a dense holiday fruitcake. Many of the provisions were favorable to the groups who oppose the repeal. American livestock groups stand divided: The giant North American Meat Institute (which represents U.S. meatpackers, processors and their suppliers) favors the repeal. But the National Farmers Union and Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, which represents smaller domestic producers of livestock, strongly support the label. Canada and Mexico are mad: Our neighbors to the north and south say COOL has caused them more than $3 billion in damages. WTO estimated it was about a third of that. Advertisement COOL could've brought heavy penalties: The World Trade Organization has ruled multiple times against COOL as written saying it unfairly discriminates against meat imports and gives the advantage to domestic meat products. Earlier this month, WTO approved $1.1 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products like furniture, metal tubing, jewelry and more. Many of those industries were involved in lobbying Congress for the repeal. Supporters say "negotiate don't repeal": Food & Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter wrote in a statement that the "U.S. Department of Agriculture should immediately promulgate rules to address the WTO concerns over COOL while maintaining mandatory labels. The United States has been modifying its dolphin-safe tuna rules for nearly three decades to address WTO concerns; the USDA should do the same to protect mandatory COOL." The fight isn't over: COOL opponents see the repeal as a victory, but supporters say they'll work toward legislation to reinstate COOL in 2016. Monica Eng is a food and health reporter for WBEZ Chicago Public Media. It's time for everyone to get back to grind! After biding adieu to 2015 in style with friends and family, quite a few Bollywood stars were spotted at the Mumbai airport as they returned back from their New Year holiday. A look at the airport pictures. Shah Rukh Khan and veteran actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha pose together for the cameras. King Khan, who will next be seen in Maneesh Sharma's Fan, celebrated New Year in Dubai with his family. Caught candid: SRK chatting animatedly with Shotgun Senior! Gauri Khan walks ahead as Suhana carries her little brother AbRam. Arjun Kapoor, who was holidaying in Maldives with his sisters -- Sonam and Rhea -- is back in the city too. The actor will next be seen in R Balki's much-awaited rom-com Ki and Ka along with Kareena Kapoor Khan. Sonam makes her way out of Mumbai airport but looks like she is still in the holiday mood! Can't blame her. After all, she had one helluva vacation in Maldives! Rhea Kapoor. Shriya Saran is all smiles as she arrives in the city. Urvashi Rautela sure knows how to keep her airport attire stylish! The actress, who represented India this year at Miss Universe pageant, was in Goa for New Year's. Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar 'India has already suffered in the raid of January 2, and taken punishment. If comparable or higher retribution does not visit Pakistan, there is no reason why it should not undertake such a misadventure again,' says Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi (retd). IMAGE: An armoured vehicle moves into the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, January 3. Photograph: PTI Photo The raid on the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot that began on the 2nd January has continued. The worst seems to have been averted by the ongoing heroic actions of our armed forces, all of whom have promptly answered the call of duty. Some of them have paid the ultimate price. Details are pouring in: The origin of the terrorists, their organisation and preparations, and their commitment to their cause -- militant Islam. Coming in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's internationally acclaimed surprise visit to Pakistan on Christmas day, the raid from Pakistan was not totally unexpected. Of course, what else does one expect from the extremist radicals in Pakistan? They are certainly bent on ensuring Pakistan's confrontation with India, and detest the lowering of tension between the two countries. The rabid terrorists who are carrying out the raid have put on display their place of origin and the organization that they represent, namely Jaish-e-Mohammed. This is a subterfuge invented by their launchers in Pakistan for the benefit of the credulous in and outside India. It makes it convenient for the Pakistan government to deny its accountability. As far as we in India are concerned, it is a Pakistan raid, it does not greatly matter to us if it is carried out by Jaish, or by Pakistan special forces. Deniability by Pakistan suits the US too, although the US could not have known of the raid before it was launched. We in India have no reason to create and offer an alibi for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The onus of proving that he is not playing both ends against the middle must lie with Pakistan in general and Sharif in particular. We have no reason to script his lines for him. It is none of India's concerns if there is this demoniac ISI that is not amenable even to General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. If General Raheel Sharif, quite rightly, is fighting the extremists on the western border, it is for Pakistan to realise that the chickens are coming home to roost, and India has no reason to show special consideration. Pakistan's actions must vindicate its stand that it does not back the 'good terrorist' any longer. If Jaish-e-Mohammed is behind the raid, then the Jaish leadership has to be dealt with by Pakistan. It is for Pakistan to conclusively demonstrate to the world at large that it is not covertly backing terrorists. This flows out of the fact that Pakistan had hidden and protected Osama bin Laden even from its closest ally, the US. Ploys of not producing sufficient evidence against the organisers of similar raids have been used, and used up, by Pakistan in its courts of law already. This time around, if it wishes to deny accontablity, Pakistan would have to come up with something more imaginative. It is only right that we honour our martyrs who have limited the damage that the raiders could possibly have inflicted, and also be grateful that nothing worse happened. This logic is somewhat comforting, but what does it do to prevent the next raid from Pakistan that could well be in the works already? It has to be prevented because if successful, it could well inflict unacceptable damage. No matter how good the defensive preparations, they will do nothing to deter the next raid from Pakistan. The wages of inaction now could well be another raid from Pakistan. Defence by itself does not suffice; conceptually, it is meant to protect assets but it does not deter the adversary's offensive action. Say, nine brigades constituting three divisions are spread out across International Border fences, minefields and all to guard against aggression along a particular approach. Understandably, there would be a similar or comparable deployment across the IB. The fact that such a deployment is considered necessary would be indicative of mutual distrust. In such a situation, stability of sorts may well prevail, but if adversary A were to turn inimical, he could concentrate one of his divisions, redistribute the two remaining brigades to hold ground, and threaten any of adversary B's defended sectors, at any point of his choice. If he does so by surprise, he may possibly succeed at marginally additional risk to himself. This is an advantage intrinsic to aggression. Absolute superiority is not necessary for aggression, although it is of help. It is the attitude that matters. An adversary who is avowedly committed to purely defensive measures, and so announces 'first strike', voluntarily abjures an advantage that can be exploited to his own advantage. In fact, voluntary foregoing of offensive operations points to the absence of a strategic culture which, over a period of time, could well permeate into the armed forces, and reduce their effectiveness. In such a situation, there is no reason why the adversary should not concentrate even a larger strike force. Defence, by itself, imposes progressively additional costs on the defender. To maintain the right balance, offensive forces have not only to be maintained, but their full effectiveness has to be demonstrated from time to time. This confers credibility without which even the available deterrence is less than effective. The punishment for provocation must be fully spelt out and credibly backed by periodic demonstrations. India has already suffered in the raid of January 2, and taken punishment. If comparable or higher retribution does not visit Pakistan, there is no reason why it should not undertake such a misadventure again. If the raid was also a surprise for Pakistan's civilian government, the compulsion and the urgency to prove its credentials must lie with Pakistan. There is a need to spell out to Pakistan -- alike to the common man and its government -- the the cost of misadventure against India so that potential mischief mongers stop in their tracks. India is not required to train 'non-State' actors for this purpose. Intense but calibrated and controlled bombardments across the Line of Control could well be planned in advance. Then such a response could be activated even with a code word by the empowered authority whenever there is mischief in evidence. Even as the electronic media in India starts covering the misadventure by Pakistan, the news of retribution should flood Pakistan. If it leads to escalation, so be it. If escalation leads to terrible things, the common man in Pakistan must be made aware that his accountability for inviting the disaster is not any the less than that of his government. It seems that the terrorists from Pakistan do bask in some kind of public approval. Have a look at the internationally known terrorists who belong to or have been associated with Pakistan. This would not have been the case if there was public disapproval of terrorism. If escalation were to take place unavoidably, Pakistan will fully realise the implications of lack of depth. But India need not go that far; more imaginative ways can be found to create a nuanced scale of conventional and non-conventional deterrent measures that will keep Pakistan away from misadventures. In the meantime, peace talks must continue without let or hindrance. Goodwill needs to be cultivated even as the wages of perfidy are spelt out to Pakistan. Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, saw active service in Jammu and Kashmir in the 1965 and 1971 wars. General Joshi was Director General of Military Training, overseeing the policy and planning of training in the Indian Army during the final two years of his long and distinguished service to the nation. All Indian prime ministers must know that the route to their Nobel Peace Prize doesn't go through Pakistan, says Rajeev Sharma. IMAGE: Soldiers conduct a search operation in a forest area outside the Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot, January 3. Photograph: PTI Photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done his best to improve relations with Pakistan, but he is not the first Indian prime minister to have walked the extra mile with the wily neighbour only to get stabbed in the back soon after a peace mission. Modi must be realising now what it means to take a giant leap of friendship with Pakistan and seeing everything come unstuck soon thereafter. Modi's Pathankot moment is a sort of deja vu for the Bharatiya Janata Party government which had been slapped back with the Kargil war soon after the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had undertaken a historic bus trip to Lahore in February 1999. Unfortunately, Lahore has emerged as a jinxed destination for prime ministers belonging to the BJP, as just six days after Modi's surprise stopover in Lahore came the well-planned, audacious terror attack on the Pathankot air base. The Pathankot terror attack, launched on New Year Day, is continuing till the time of writing this article on January 4 evening. The same fiasco had happened in between the two Lahore visits by an Indian prime minister belonging to the BJP -- the Agra summit of July 14-16, 2001. The world knows to what extent India-Pakistan relations plummeted after the failed Agra summit, so much so that the two nuclear armed enemies had their armies deployed against each other in forward positions for 10 months in the wake of the terror attack on Parliament. Modi has already had five meetings with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during his 19-month tenure and was seriously considering a sixth meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in the third week of this month and the seventh one in Washington, DC, on the sidelines of a nuclear summit in March. In contrast, the United Progressive Alliance government had been rather sedate and cautious in its engagement with Pakistan. During his entire decade-long tenure as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, Manmohan Singh met his Pakistani counterparts only 10 times, which means one summit meeting per annum on an average. In hindsight, this probably was a better way of engaging with Pakistan as the international community was also kept quiet while the UPA government held talks with Pakistan for the sake of holding talks without much substantive agenda on the table most of the time. Significantly, Dr Singh never visited two SAARC countries even once during his entire two back-to-back full tenures: Pakistan and Nepal. In hindsight, he did not lose much. And, yes, he got the 'reward' of engaging with Pakistan when India got a taste of its own 9/11 moment in the shape of the five-day-long siege of Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists in November 2008. The moral of the story in engaging with Pakistan is three-fold. There is no point in holding peace talks with Pakistan's civilian government as the real power vests with the military leadership. The much talked about army chief-level talks is never going to happen because the army chief of Pakistan is way up in the power hierarchy in comparison to the Indian army chief. It is common knowledge that while other countries have an army, in case of Pakistan it is the army which has a country. So folks, pragmatic protocol issues will not allow the Pakistan army chief to hold talks with his Indian counterpart. Even holding national security advisor-level talks don't cut much ice though the current Pakistani NSA, General Nasir Khan Janjua, is a former military commander. He will remain a Shikhandi. But that suits Rawalpindi because ostensibly, India is dealing with the Pakistani army when it is dealing with General Janjua, but actually it is not and the Pakistan army is free to do what it wants to do. Pathankot is a classic example of the Pakistan army's 'eating the cake and having it too' kind of strategy. Keep the level of engagement with Pakistan for engagement sake only, with the bottom line being 'Trust, but verify.' Indian prime ministers must remember always that their route to the Nobel Prize doesn't go through Pakistan. The Indian prime minister, whoever he or she is and belonging to whichever party, must not be overtaken with the Pakistan itch. Rajeev Sharma is a New Delhi-based journalist and strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha. The Narendra Modi government is likely to ask Pakistan in clear terms to take tough action against terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is believed to have carried out the attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, before the foreign secretary-level talks take place. Indian may raise the issue of the Pathankot attack with the Pakistani government on Monday and is expecting a response within 72 hours. The officials investigating the attack have reportedly recovered a note which points to a possible JeM role in the attack. During Monday's meeting, India is likely to press Pakistan to act on the intelligence inputs and the evidence gathered against the terror group. It also wants Pakistan's military court to take actions against the terrorists. With the Centre making clear that terror and talks cant go together, the future of the foreign secretary-level talks depends on what action Pakistan takes against JeM. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and other top officials to take stock of the Pathankot attack. An intense 25-hour gun-battle between security forces and terrorists outside the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif came to end on Monday night with the killing of all the attackers who attempted to storm the Mission building. While three of the attackers were killed in the gunfight overnight, the remaining were neutralised by the night. "Afghan officials have confirmed that the operation has ended," said a Indian government source. "The clearance operation is over and all the terrorists have all been killed," said provincial police chief Sayed Kamal Sadat, according to AFP. Some reports said one of the attackers was captured alive but there was no confirmation about it. A group of terrorists had attacked the Consulate at around 9.15 pm yesterday with an aim of storming the building but their plan was thwarted by the security forces. Earlier, official sources said special combat units of the Afghan National Police had recovered three bodies from outside the Indian consulate. Subsequently, some more terrorists were holed up in a five-storey building about 100 metres across the road from the Indian consulate and security forces had launched a daunting onslaught to neutralise them. "Our search operation is still going on inside the building," AFP quoted government spokesman Shir Jan Durrani as saying. According to him, one policeman was killed and 11 others injured in the encounter. Earlier on Monday evening, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi who told him that India will always stand with the people of Afghanistan notwithstanding the terror attack on the Consulate. Ghani briefed Modi about the incident and Modi expressed deep appreciation for the exemplary bravery and courage shown by the Afghan National Security Forces in thwarting the terrorist attack and ensuring security and safety of the Indian consulate and personnel. Officials said the consulate came under attack at around 9.15 pm on Sunday night with at least two militants trying to "storm". Indo Tibetan Border Police Force guards deployed on the sentry post foiled their attempt by raining heavy fire on them. They said at least seven rocket-propelled grenade rounds were fired in the direction of the Consulate but all missed it. Officials added that while there has been no damage to the five-storeyed and pink-coloured consulate building. A strong contingent of over four-dozen ITBP commandos has been securing this facility from 2008 apart from three other missions in the country and the main Embassy in the capital, Kabul. The security of these sensitive facilities were recently heightened after the ITBP deployed over 35 commandos at Indian missions in Kabul, Jalalabad, Herat, Kandhar and Mazar-i-Sharif. Image: Afghan National Army personnel keep watch during an operation near the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. Afghan Special Forces prepared to clear insurgents barricaded in a house near the Indian consulate in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Monday after an overnight attack that coincided with an assault on an Indian air base near the border with Pakistan. Photograph: Anil Usyan/Reuters National Security Advisor Ajit Dovals visit to China from Tuesday for talks with top Chinese leaders has been put off in the wake of the attack by Pakistani militants on the key Air Force base in Pathankot. The visit has been put off due to scheduling problems, Chinese Foreign Ministry official said on Monday. Indian officials said Dovals visit will be rescheduled as he is preoccupied with the handling of the Pathankot incident. Doval, who is also the Special Representative for Sino-India boundary talks, was due to arrive in China on Tuesday on a two-day visit during which he was scheduled to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on key bilateral issues, including the border dispute. He was also due to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. Both Doval and Yang are Special Representatives for holding talks on the boundary issue. So far, the two countries held 18 rounds of border talks. Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha had said Doval was due to have strategic consultations with the Chinese leaders. The visit is not for the Special Representative-level talks, Kantha said. Referring to Dovals visit, Wang Dehua, director of the Institute for Southern and Central Asian Studies told state-run Global Times that frequent talks between the two countries will accelerate solving a dispute on the long border, including its western section with Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and eastern part with Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region. Dovals visit to China follows frequent interactions between the two countries top leaders in 2015. China and India have strengthened cooperation on security issues, including solving the border dispute through talks, Fu Xiaoqiang, an expert on South Asian studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said. Fu said the two countries have already agreed to solve the border dispute based on mutual understanding and accommodation but its implementation faces many difficulties, including marking the Line of Actual Control in the China-India border areas. Wang said China and India have agreed to hold quarterly talks instead of annual talks and to enhance discussions on security issues at different levels. A border dispute settlement could reduce conflicts between the two countries, strengthen mutual trust and maintain regional peace, Wang said. As the anti-terror operation continued at the Air Force base in Pathankot for the third day on Monday, residents expressed anger over frequent cross-border strikes and sought enhanced border security and strengthening of the police set-up even as they feared that such attacks will put their lives in peril. "We want the government to take immediate measures to enhance security along the border with Pakistan, stop infiltration and strengthen police set-up in these areas to prevent such attacks in future," Ravi Sharma, a local resident and president of the Punjab unit of Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Suraksha Committee, told PTI in Pathankot. "This is the second and the longest drawn terror attacks in Punjab border districts in the past less than six months. It has created a fear psychosis among the people who had seen the worst days of terrorism in Punjab in the past. "We want to live in peace as we have already seen the worst and deadly time of terrorism here. We have lost our kith and kins in that terrorism," Sharma said. The people of Pathankot do not want to see the re-birth of terrorism as they have paid huge prices earlier to bring peace to these border areas. "We cannot afford to see return of terror to this border state. People are now in perpetual fear while travelling on highways and along the border areas due to apprehension of further attacks," Sharma said. Similarly, 53-year-old Avtar Singh, who runs a furniture shop near the Pathankot Air Force station, fears that the localities around defence installations and highways have become target of terrorists from Pakistan. "My shop is very close to this station and is closed for past three days following the attack. Bullets landed up hitting walls of our house. We were scared throughout the night," Singh said, adding the government must take measures to instill confidence in the people and ensure that such attacks do not reoccur. The attack at Pathankot Air Force Base, in which seven security personnel including one Lt Col of NSG have been killed, came nearly six months after a group of terrorists took over a police station in Gurdaspur in July last year. Seven persons were killed in the July attack. The residents held dozens of anti-Pakistan protests and burnt effigies of Pakistan as the anti-terror operations continued for the third day. The Air Force station and its surrounding areas have become a theatre of battle since January 2 as scores of bullets damaged the walls of neighbouring houses and several rounds of bigger ammunition landed on their rooftops, spreading fear among the residents. "Is this what we get in return from Pakistan... A major terror attack for Prime Minister's peace initiative of extending hands of friendship to Pakistan... This cannot be tolerated," said Amlok Singh, another resident. The Punjab government has announced a roadmap to check infiltration. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had yesterday announced deployment of a commando battalion and a special SWAT team in Pathankot as a "second line of defence" and also sought deployment of more BSF troops along the state's border with Pakistan. "It has happened in our territory so we need to take our own initiative and come up with second line of defence," he said. "I request the Government of India to increase the security along the border with increase in the deployment of BSF at par with that in Jammu and Kashmir," Badal said. A fire erupted at a slum in Mumbais Mahim area on Monday in which some hutments suffered minor damage, officials said. No one was reported hurt or killed in the mishap, they said. The blaze occurred at a slum establishment on S L Raheja road in Mahim. About half-a-dozen hutments came in contact with the flames, a fire control room official said. The control room got a call around 11 AM about the blaze following which five fire tenders were immediately rushed to the site, he said. Efforts were on to douse the flames, he said adding that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. Photographs: Afsar Dayatar, Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com Saudi Arabia has severed diplomatic ties with regional rival Iran following attacks on the kingdom's embassy and consulate in the Islamic Republic over the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the cut in relations late on Sunday and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home after an attack on the kingdoms embassy in Tehran and a consulate. The decision came after the mass execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others the largest carried out by Saudi Arabia in three and a half decades laid bare the sectarian divisions gripping the region. Shiite protesters took to the streets from Bahrain to Pakistan while Arab allies of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia quickly lined up behind the kingdom. The standoff illustrates the kingdom's new aggressiveness under King Salman. During his reign, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting Shiite rebels in Yemen and staunchly opposed regional Shiite power Iran, even as Tehran struck a nuclear deal with world powers. It also represents just the latest turmoil in the two countries' long-rocky relationship, which saw diplomatic ties between them severed from 1988 to 1991. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Saudi Arabia on Sunday of "divine revenge" over al-Nimr's death, while Riyadh accused Tehran of supporting "terrorism" in a war of words that threatened to escalate even as the US and the European Union sought to calm the region. Al-Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh that the Iranian regime has "a long record of violations of foreign diplomatic missions," dating back to the occupation of the US Embassy in 1979, and such incidents constitute "a flagrant violation of all international agreements," according to the official Saudi Press Agency. He said Iran's "hostile policy" was aimed "at destabilizing the region's security," accusing Tehran of smuggling weapons and explosives and planting terrorist cells in the kingdom and other countries in the region. He vowed that Saudi Arabia will not allow Iran "to undermine our security." Al-Nimr was a central figure in Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority until his arrest in 2012. He was convicted of terrorism charges but denied advocating violence. Iran accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorism in part because it backs Syrian rebel groups fighting to oust its embattled ally, President Bashar Assad. Riyadh points to Iran's backing of the Lebanese Hezbollah and other Shiite militant groups in the region as a sign of its support for terrorism. Iran also has backed Shiite rebels in Yemen known as Houthis. In Tehran, a protest outside the Saudi Embassy early Sunday quickly grew violent as protesters threw stones and gasoline bombs at the embassy, setting part of the building ablaze, according to Gen Hossein Sajedinia, the country's top police official, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Forty people were arrested and investigators were pursuing other suspects, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi said, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. Saudi Arabia's decision to cut ties with Iran after attacks on the kingdom's diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic will not distract from Riyadh's "big mistake" of executing a top Shiite cleric, a senior Iranian official said on Monday. "By deciding to sever (diplomatic) relations, Saudi Arabia cannot make (the world) forget its big mistake of executing a cleric," deputy foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said, according to the IRNA agency. He added that Saudi Arabia had committed a "strategic error in adopting rash and hasty decisions that have spread instability and caused the development of terrorism in the region". The brother of Nimr al-Nimr, the Shiite cleric executed in Saudi Arabia at the weekend, on Monday condemned retaliatory attacks on the kingdom's diplomatic missions in Iran, insisting: "We love our country". "We appreciate your love towards the martyr #Sheikh AlNimr who lives in our hearts but we refuse attacks on #Saudi ambassies in #Iran or others," Mohammed al-Nimr tweeted in English. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani condemned Saudi Arabia's execution of al-Nimr, but also branded those who attacked the Saudi Embassy as "extremists." "It is unjustifiable," he said in a statement. Another Saudi diplomatic mission also was attacked in Mashhad. Western powers sought to calm the tensions. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the Obama administration was aware of the Saudis' severing of ties with Tehran. "We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences and we will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions," Kirby said. Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif by phone and urged Tehran to "defuse the tensions and protect the Saudi diplomats," according to a statement. The disruption in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran may have implications for peace efforts in Syria. US Secretary of State John Kerry and others spent significant time trying to bring the countries to the negotiating table and they both sat together at talks aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to the civil war. Last month, Saudi Arabia convened a meeting of Syrian opposition figures that was designed to create a delegation to attend peace talks with the Syrian government that are supposed to begin in mid-January. Across the region, demonstrators took to the streets Sunday in protest over the execution of al-Nimr. In Bahrain, police fired tear gas and birdshot at demonstrators on SitraIsland, south of the capital, Manama, wounding some. In al-Daih, west of the capital, Shiite protesters chanted against Saudi Arabia's ruling Al Saud family, as well as against Bahrain's ruling Al Khalifa family. In Beirut, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called al-Nimr "the martyr, the holy warrior," while protests erupted from Turkey to India to Pakistan. Meanwhile, al-Nimr's family prepared for three days of mourning at a mosque in al-Awamiya in the kingdom's al-Qatif region in predominantly Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia. The sheikh's brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, said that Saudi officials informed his family that the cleric had been buried in an undisclosed cemetery, a development that could lead to further protests. People protest in front of Saudi Arabia's embassy during a demonstration in Tehran. Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran early on Sunday morning as Shiite Muslim Iran reacted with fury to Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. Photograph: Mehdi Ghasemi/ISNA/Reuters Two teams of terrorists attacked the Pathankot air base on Saturday, and they had -- in all likelihood -- reached there in different vehicles, security sources revealed. Since combing operations in the forest near the base have not helped the security forces to find any vehicle used by the second team of terrorists, it is assumed that a local Jaish-e-Mohammed unit must have dropped them close to the base. The first team of terrorists -- four youths in army uniform -- hijacked a car at Kolian on Thursday and traveled about 1,000 kilometre to Pathankot. They abandoned the vehicle at Tajpur village on Friday after slitting the throat of one of the passengers Rajesh Verma, a jeweler from Gurudaspur. Sources said all the phone calls made by the terrorists to Pakistan were on numbers identified as that of JeM by the security establishment for a long time now. The police are also scrutinising footage acquired from the toll plaza on the Gurdaspur-Pathankot highway besides various police and BSF checkpoints on the Bamiyal-Pathankot road for clues. One more terrorist was gunned down on Sunday during combing operations. Were sure there are at least two terrorists or more holed up as firing has resumed from two areas. Well come to know the number of terrorists holed up at the base only after the completion of the operation and body count, union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said in Delhi. The MPI for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, Netherlands is inviting scholars to visit in 2016 and 2017 to participate in Language Evolution research. Under the running guest programme of the Institute, special opportunities are available in 2016-2017 for visitors both senior scholars and post-docs participating in the research theme Evolution of Language, starting at any time in 2016. The theme will be hosted by the Language & Cognition department (run by Stephen Levinson) in collaboration with the other departments at the Institute. The MPI for Psycholinguistics and its partners in Nijmegen offer an exciting environment in which to explore the evolution of language, both in its biological and cultural dimensions, and the interactions between them. The MPI has departments in language and genetics, the neurobiology of language, the psychology of language, language and cognition, and (in development) the acquisition of language. The MPI is a partner in the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behaviour, Centre for Language Studies, and the Language in Interaction consortium, which bring together many different perspectives on language evolution. Senior Visitorships are available for any period from one month up to one year until the end of 2017, and Postdocs are available for up to one year starting at any time in 2016. More details here. Share this: Reddit Facebook LinkedIn More Google Twitter Email Print Top area high school football players to watch this postseason Indiana's high school football postseason has arrived. Here's a look at what players to look for from Martinsville, Mooresville, Monrovia, DC and IC. For more than 41 years, Tim Hall was dedicated to serving agricultural producers. Last month, he retired as director of the Taylor County Farm Service Agency. Hall is a native of Nolan County, and along with his three siblings, was raised on a cotton and livestock farm near Sweetwater. Since his father worked at Lone Star Cement, the Halls all worked together to maintain the family farm, giving Hall his strong agricultural background. Hall attended Texas Tech University and earned a bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics. In 1974, he began his career with USDA as a crop appraiser and later trained and became a county director. His first position was in Howard County. The past 26 years Hall served Taylor County. Over the course of his career, Hall experienced many events and changes in local agriculture. "When I started in 1974, a drought was in place in all of Texas, everything was manual with no automation, cellphones or GPS units. We had to do everything with tablet and pencil," he said. Hall remembers the years of 1975 and 1976, dealing with cotton loans in Howard County. Each bale placed under the CCC loan was calculated for loan value by computing pounds in the bale times the value of the loan price, which was different for each bale due to quality classification. "It was a lot of late nights," he said. During this time the American agriculture movement was underway, because of low commodity prices and lack of profit for the farmers. Hall recalls the "tractorcades" by farmers to Washington in protest of the government's ag policy. The Farm Service Agency is the primary organization charged with the implementation of the Farm Bill. Hall said each of the different farm bills under which he has (an) operation has been different. "In the old days what was known as 'set asides' with the supplies of crops in surplus, a management tool of drawing those surpluses down, was managed through acreage cutbacks to every participating farm in the whole county," according to Hall. Today crop insurance has changed the way business is conducted and has become a big part of the current farm bill. Hall has always been a team player with local agricultural agencies, such as the Extension and Natural Resource Conservation Service. Citing the need to inform producers though education, Hall was a major part of USDA educational programs jointly sponsored by Texas AgriLife and NRCS. "Tim has always been supportive, professional, and there to help" said Lee Knox of the NRCS. Hall is a past recipient of the Taylor County AgriLife Extension Cooperator of the Year Award. Hall gives much credit to his staff in Taylor County. He said each had their own unique characteristics, but a melding together formed a great unit. "The next person as the Taylor County FSA director shall be the luckiest director in the county, he said. Hall and his wife, Sheree, have two children, Jonathan and Whitney. Plans are to remain in the region, devoting as much time possible to his church in volunteer work, and watching as many sporting events as possible. Can you bear to be apart from your stuffed animal? If so, check it out MONDAY Overeaters Anonymous, noon, Hinds Square Building, 100 Chestnut St., Room 112. Schizophrenia Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. Blood drive, 1-6 p.m., Country Store, Rotan. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Anorexics Bulimics Anonymous, 6 p.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673. Central Texas Gem & Mineral Society of Abilene, 7 p.m., 7607 Highway 277 South. 325-692-0063. Abilene Toastmaster's Club 1071, 7 p.m., Conference Center, Texas State Technical College, 650 E. Highway 80. 325-692-7325 or abilene.toastmastersclubs.org. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007. Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304. Memory Men (4-part a cappella singing), 7 p.m., Calvary Baptist Church, 1165 Minter Lane. Park on east side, enter through kitchen. 325-676-SING. Taylor County Libertarian Party, 7 p.m., Winery at Willow Creek, 4353 S. Treadaway Blvd. 325-675-0266. Dirty Drawers Figure Drawing Group, 7-9 p.m., Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St. Abilene Community Band rehearsal, 7:30 p.m., Bynum Band Hall, McMurry University. 325-232-7383. South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave. Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Avoca United Methodist Church. 325-773-2611. Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Group. 325-676-1400. TUESDAY Veterans benefit meeting, 10 a.m. to noon, Disabled American Veterans, 2555 Grape St. 325-793-9699 or 325-480-6175. Mission on the Move Soup Kitchen, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Southwest Drive Community United Methodist Church, 3025 Southwest Dr. Abilene Southwest Rotary Club, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. High Noon Al-Anon, noon, Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3666 Buffalo Gap Road (south end; follow the yellow signs). Blood drive, 1-6 p.m., First Baptist Church, Albany. Stroke/Aphasia Recovery Program support group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. West Texas Rehabilitation Center boardroom, 4601 Hartford St. 325-793-3535. Betty Hardwick Center board of trustees, 5:15 p.m., Betty Hardwick Center, 2616 S. Clack St., Suite 150. Dystonia Support Group, 5:15-6:15 p.m., Not Without Us, 3301 N. First St. Suite 117. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), 5:30 p.m., Brook Hollow Christian Church, 2310 S. Willis St. 325-232-7444. Legacies Al-Anon Family Group, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-280-7584. Dining For Women Abilene Chapter, 6 p.m., First Christian Church, 1420 N. Third St. Overeaters Anonymous, 6-7 p.m., Highland Church of Christ, 425 Highland Ave., Room 111. Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous, 6-7 p.m., Highland Church of Christ, 425 Highland Ave., Room 108. Family (of Mental Health Consumers) Support Group, 6-7 p.m., Mental Health Association in Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. MHAA Bipolar/Depression Peer Support Group, 6-8 p.m., Ministry of Counseling & Enrichment, 1502 N. First St. 325-673-2300. Free certified nurturing parent class (pregnancy to toddler), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398. Abilene Star Chorus, 6:15 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1333 N. Third St. 325-829-1470. Al-Anon Parents Group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. Use Church Street entrance. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., Doug Meinzer Activity Center, Knox City. 940-658-3926. Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 7-8:30 p.m., 2043 N. Second St. Parents, Family, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) of the Big Country, 7-9 p.m., Unity Church, 2842 Barrow St. 325-232-4726, www.pflagbc.weebly.com. Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. WEDNESDAY Overeaters Anonymous, 8 a.m., St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3150 Vogel St. Meets for Step Study. Blood drive, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sweetwater Lions Club. Abilene Cactus Lions Club, 11:45 a.m., Cotton Patch Cafe, 3302 S. Clack St. Abilene Wednesday Rotary Club, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway. $12 for lunch. Jo Ann Wilson, 325-677-6815. Kiwanis Club of Abilene, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd. Clearly Speaking Toastmaster Club, noon, Westgate Church of Christ, 402 S. Pioneer Drive. 325-795-5570. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Veterans Peer Support Group, 6 p.m., Ministry of Counseling & Enrichment, 1502 N. First St. 325-672-9999. Mid-week Al-Anon Family Group, 6-7 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-698-4995. Advanced Square Dancing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wagon Wheel. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007. DivorceCare support group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. 325-691-4200. THURSDAY Coloring Club The Coloring Club, a new coloring program for adults, will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. All required materials will be provided, but participants are invited to bring other coloring books and supplies. Admission is free. Other ... Blood drive, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Clyde High School. Veterans Association Club, 10 a.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center (in Rose Park, South Seventh and Barrow streets). Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300. Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road. Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092. Retired Military Wives Club business meeting, 1 p.m., Rose Park Senior Activity Center, 2625 South Seventh St. 325-677-9656 or 325-793-1490. Mental Illness Open Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. Abilene 42 Club, 6 p.m., Rose Park Senior Center. Teen Recovery Group, 6-7 p.m., Mission Abilene, 3001 N. Third St. Free certified nurturing parent class (all ages), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 6:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Gambler's Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., Unity Spiritual Living Center, 2842 Barrow St. 325-338-2575. Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517. Old Town Abilene Neighborhood Association, 7 p.m., Shining Star Baptist Church, 302 Palm St. 325-676-4068. Big Country Audubon Society, 7 p.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center. Key City Coin Club, 7 p.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center, Room B. 325-675-0266. American Legion Post and Auxiliary 661 meeting, 7 p.m., Lueders Legion Hall, Highway 6, Lueders. South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave. Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. Coloring Club The Coloring Club, a new coloring program for adults, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. All required materials will be provided, but participants are invited to bring other coloring books and supplies. Admission is free. Healthcare marketplace enrollment Certified navigators will provide free assistance with enrollment into the health care marketplace from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at Holmes Plaza, 402 Butternut St. Open enrollment ends Jan. 31. 'Auntie Mame' As part of the Paramount Film Series, a showing of "Auntie Mame" will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, military and children. For more information, visit paramount-abilene.org. Chautauqua The Chautauqua Learning Series will continue with a presentation by Sam Gaylon, "Uniforms and Textiles in the Confederate Trans-Mississippi," from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at Buffalo Gap Historic Village, 133 N. William St. in Buffalo Gap. Admission is free. Texas Gun & Knife Show The Texas Gun & Knife Show will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Admission is $5. Chamber music Key City Winds will present a chamber music concert at 5 p.m. Sunday at Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. For more information, call 325-677-2091 or go to www.heavenlyrestabilene.org. Pet sale Rescue the Animals, SPCA and the city of Abilene will conduct an after-Christmas sale from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Abilene Animal Shelter, 925 S. 25th St. Prices on all animals have been discounted to $15, after a $20 mail-in spay/neuter rebate. For more information, call 325-698-0087. DEAR ABBY: My husband went to Florida three months ago to care for an ailing former lover. He told me she will be leaving him a sizable inheritance and he needs to protect her from "vultures." I admit I am suspicious of his motives. I think there may be more going on than what he's telling me, but he has been painting a pretty picture of how rosy our future will be with her gift. He has now suggested that we get a temporary divorce so he can marry her in order to get her entire estate! He claims it will be nothing more than a business arrangement. His suggestion left me flabbergasted. Even though our marriage has been rocky at times, I have never seen this side of him. I don't know whether to believe him and be simply disappointed at his callous behavior, or not believe him and conclude that he really wants a divorce so he can marry her. Any thoughts? Heartsick In South Carolina DEAR HEARTSICK: Your husband appears to still be carrying a torch for his old flame. Are you sure she is really sick? If it's the truth, then the "vulture" I see on the horizon may be him. I hope you appreciate how extremely manipulative your husband appears to be. Because of it, and since he has spoken the "D" word, consult a lawyer to ensure that your interests will be protected regardless of his motives. I'm saying that in case the woman turns out to be healthier than both of you. DEAR ABBY: How do you help someone who doesn't want to be helped? My adult son, "Greg," who lives with me, is slowly drinking himself to death. He was laid off two years ago, and I know he is depressed and has given up on life. It has reached the point where he is showing signs of cirrhosis, but he refuses to do anything about it. The last time he saw a doctor was three years ago. The doctor said Greg's liver functions were not normal and he needed to stop drinking. I've tried to make my son listen to reason, to no avail. My sister tells me if I don't get Greg some help, I could be charged with adult neglect. But I don't know how to fix this. The outcome is increasingly bleak. What can I do? Mom With A Problem DEAR MOM: If the inability to convince a substance-addicted adult relative to get help were against the law, there wouldn't be enough prisons to hold all the "offenders." As much as you love your son, you can't "fix" his alcohol addiction. You should, however, find the nearest Al-Anon group and attend some meetings. And while you are at it, bring your sister with you because she has a lot to learn. Chief among the lessons is that someone else's drinking is not another person's fault or responsibility to control. I am sorry for your pain, because I'm sure it is considerable. DEAR ABBY: I'm an attorney. Recently at a party, an acquaintance was talking about some litigation his company is involved in. I commented briefly on something he said, and he responded, "We take advice from attorneys we PAY," and walked away. Should I have stayed out of the conversation to begin with? Hurt Feelings In Florida DEAR HURT: Some people think that anything that's offered for free is without value, and it appears the man you encountered is one of them. Because this is his world view, try not to take it personally. Your motives were generous. I see no reason to muzzle yourself in the future if you think you have something helpful to say. RULE It's been a blue post-Christmas for the Tower Drive-In. The storm that rolled through here Dec. 26-27 may have sealed the local landmark's fate. "They guessed the screen blew down sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning," said Teresa Sorrells, city secretary at Rule City Hall. "We had been told when we were out putting out cones for the trees that had blown down." It was the north wind striking the movie screen that faced the same direction that finally claimed it. "I think we had some 60 mile-per-hour winds," Sorrells said. Forecasters at the National Weather Service office in San Angelo said that was a possibility. They reported 54 mph gusts in nearby Haskell and gusts hitting 64 mph down in Sweetwater. "Those were the peak gusts, there could have been others around 50 mph or so," meteorologist Mark Cunningham told me. Estimated sustained winds over the area were at least 45 mph, he added. That kind of sustained pressure, combined with damp earth, ice on the structure and the effects of past storms appeared to be enough to pull the movie screen out of the ground. The drive-in is about a mile north of town on State Highway 6; several trees also had fallen in Rule, some on roofs and one on a pickup. This wasn't the first time wind had blown down a movie screen at the Tower. "There were those of us who grew up with it and (still) wanted them to keep going," said Cathey Casey, a longtime resident of the town. That was May 8, 1998, according Reporter-News archives. Jackie Whorton, who closed the drive-in theater in 2001 and then sold it in 2004, recalled what happened after the screen came down. His mother, Allene, was running the business then, his father, E.B. Whorton, having passed away. "Herbert Williams, my momma's cousin, and some of the farmers just got to talking around the cafe, said they were going to help that lady out," he said. Going without the drive-in seemed unthinkable, and so schemes were hatched over coffee and pie. "That's when the town, and all the people around, all said, 'No we want that back,'" Whorton recalled. The old screen, made from old telephone poles and framed out with more wood, had rotted away. This new screen, made from welded iron poles, was anchored by I-beams and heavy weights buried in the ground beneath it. The whole thing went up like an old-fashioned barn-raising. "It really was," Whorton agreed. "They did that for my momma." It affected her quite deeply, he recalled. "She was all tore up about them doing it, she couldn't even go out there," Whorton said. "But they all jumped in there and fixed it up." It's a testament to the skill of the volunteers who built it that the screen seemed to retain its shape even after it fell during last week's storm. When it did, it crushed the marquee in front, splintering the plastic sign carrying the drive-in's name. According to Reporter-News archives, Whorton sold the drive-in to Adam Hulin, who sold it in 2008 to Deon Gordon. She was featured in the Jan. 28, 2013, Big Country Journal. At the time, she was attempting to raise money to upgrade to a digital projector. Her Kickstarter campaign failed, however, and for some time now a "For Sale" sign has been hanging outside the drive-in. Efforts to reach Gordon for comment were unsuccessful. It's a story repeated all across the nation as drive-ins and small-town movie theaters have been forced to close. Movie studios stopped distributing their properties on film as a cost-saving measure two years ago without regard to these smaller businesses. Reached at her home in the Metroplex Sunday, Gordon said she hasn't seen the screen yet. The larger issue of the drive-in's state has weighed on her mind. "I'm really spending a lot of time thinking about it," she said. "I have a couple of ideas about how it might be resurrected, any scenario is going to require participation from the community to be successful." The projectors needed to show these films can run five figures or more. Gordon was asking for $39,000 at the time, she said these days it may only require half that amount now for a used one. But without a projector, this and the neighboring counties have watched another piece of their community drop to the cutting room floor. It was an oddly familiar song to Whorton. "My daddy said TV was going to get us, but it didn't," he said. "That digital did it." Whorton said he wouldn't mind buying the property back, if at least for sentimental reasons. Maybe he'd even prop the screen back up in the hopes that digital projectors might some day become affordable to a small-town drive-in. "I'm afraid somebody will just tear it all down and put it back in some kind of pasture or something," he said. "I'd hate to see that, too much went on out there on those little three or four acres." Like what? Whorton laughed at the question. "Well, as a matter of fact, one time I was selling tickets," he began. "This was in the '90s or something, and a guy and his wife pulled up." The driver, about 30 years old, drove there from Dallas. He asked if this were the only drive-in theater around and Whorton said it was. "My daddy told me this was where I was conceived," the driver declared. "You're kidding me," Whorton replied. No, the man answered, it was the truth. "Well, you just got yourself a free pass," Whorton told him. "Go on in." Probably not the only one, Whorton thought. "I said, 'Get in the back row somewhere, that's probably where it happened," Whorton said. He laughed again. "I wasn't about to charge him," he said. "He got in free the first time, so he can get in free the second." MARYNEAL A man was shot to death here Saturday afternoon and his suspected killer later shot in Nolan County when confronted by law authorities. The suspect was reported to be hospitalized in critical condition. Few details were provided by the Department of Public Safety, which joined Texas Rangers, Sweetwater police and the Nolan County Sheriff's Office in the investigation. According to DPS spokesman Frederick Biddle, a man was shot about 4 p.m. in the small community about 24 miles south of Sweetwater. The suspect fled the scene northbound in a vehicle. The vehicle was spotted by a DPS officer south of Sweetwater and a pursuit ensued, ending at the intersection of State Highway 70 and Interstate 20 in Sweetwater. During the attempted arrest, "the subject was shot," Biddle reported. Updated information was not available Sunday. Sayed Rizwan Farook and his Pakistani wife averaged seven murders each during their recent terroristic slaughter in San Bernardino. Their statistics pale in comparison to the 19 hijackers who each averaged 156 murders on 9/11. They all have something insidious in common, and it is not just being dead now or Muslim when they lived they shared a hatred for Israel. Anti-Semitism is the main thread that binds jihadi terrorists. We should follow that thread and severely restrict tourists, refugees and immigrants from nations that are not NATO allies or nations having a history of hostility toward Israel. Tourism and immigration today need to be constrained by three priorities outlined in our 18th century Constitution. Responsible immigration policy should: 'Insure domestic tranquility.' 'Provide for the common defense.' 'Promote the general welfare.' Allowing foreign nationals from populations having a history of hatred toward any of our trusted allies spits in the face of our U.S. Constitution. As possibly our most trusted ally, Israel receives about one-third of all U.S. foreign aid. With the exception of 1950, we have provided Israel with military weaponry and/or financial aid every year after 1948, the year their independence was declared. Our almost unending support of Israel has made America a big blip on jihadi radar. We now have one of two choices: support Israel or support current immigration policy allowing Israel's enemies within our borders. To embrace both is a recipe for disaster and is like mixing white fuming nitric acid with nitrating glycerol (nitroglycerin tends to explode under unstable conditions). Would you invite a family to live in your home and interact with your children if you knew many of them wanted to kill your children's best friends? Allowing the historical enemies of Israel to live amongst Americans is tantamount to allowing C-4 time bombs to be hidden throughout our cities time bombs just waiting to explode, especially if we support Israel during any future war against jihadists. These time bombs will surface not just as mass shootings and bombings, but likely escalate into eco-terrorism as well. According to the Department of Homeland Security's office of intelligence and analysis, the setting of forest fires near densely populated areas is a tactic currently being advocated by al-Qaida. If we are not prepared for eco-terrorism, then we are not prepared to accept refugees and immigrants from nations peppered with jihadists period! Eco-terrorism is a cheap and anonymous way to wreak tremendous amounts of havoc on our economy and is surely coming our way it's just a matter of time. Imagine the damage one terrorist with a match could do; now imagine what 40 terrorists simultaneously lighting fires in our national forests could do. Accepting tourists, refugees and immigrants from nations with widespread ill will toward Israel almost guarantees traditional terrorist attacks will increase and that eco-terrorism will strike our soil sooner than later. We have 27 NATO allies and 16 other nations designated as MNNA's (major non-NATO allies). For now, allowing visitors from these 43 allied nations (minus those hostile toward Israel), is enough to handle. All 19 of the 9/11 hijackers were given the American benefit of the doubt when coming to our nation. Blindly giving this benefit of doubt to tourists, refugees and immigrants from nations that historically harbor resentment toward Israel is not a reasonable option given our current geopolitical climate. We must plan for the worst and hope for the best rather than hope for the best and plan for the worst after the fact. We made that mistake on 9/11. Email Lance Voorhees, a former Hollywood actor and radio talk show host, at lance@LanceVoorhees.com or follow him on Twitter: @LanceVoorhees. There are many ways to wake up. Last fall, I could dispense with an alarm because every dawn was welcomed by the call to prayer sounding from the mosque 2 blocks from my apartment in East Jerusalem. There, I had the privilege of living for four months at a research center just outside the Old City's walls. This neighborhood of Palestinian Muslims and Christians provided a temporary home in a city of many nations and three major religions living together, often in surprising harmony. I often have thought about this time abroad while listening to the overheated political rhetoric birthed and nurtured by our 24-hour news cycle with its bias toward unfiltered negative emotion. Yes, there always have been self-appointed guardians of the people, both journalists and politicians, who exploit willful ignorance and runaway fear. The descendants of Joseph McCarthy have the microphone today, but history will catch up with them. In the meantime, we also can learn from good experiences, as I did from having Christian, Jewish and Muslim neighbors. The daily calls to prayer in Jerusalem, as well as the church bells and the cheerful walk of families to synagogue on Shabbat all these steady realities seem to say, 'Think about what matters.' Life and death, love and trust, joy and sorrow lie at the core of religious experience. It should be easy to respect people who pray to God on their hands and knees five times a day, give alms to the poor and sacrifice time and money to make pilgrimage. This happens every day from Istanbul to Jakarta, as well as in our own country. In short, I have come to believe that the West does not have a Muslim problem. We have a truth-telling problem. We cannot face the truth of our own violence, our degradation of the poor, our limited moral purity. To recognize these truths is not to ignore the tragedy of terrorism or to imagine that pretty words will whisk it away. They will not. The governments of the world will have no choice but to end some of the violence by violence. But the failure to measure that violence, to temper it with justice, will beget more violence. For the only thing stopping ISIL and al-Qaida in the end will be the conviction that human beings do not live alone and that none of us can speak for God. We can only listen to what God has said. Christians and Muslims must work together for a solution. The alternative is continuous strife. As a Christian reflecting on what I can do and value in my own life, I think that certain things are indisputable: I have no reason to fear my Muslim friends for I know from experience that we want many of the same things. We all worship the One God, even though our understandings of God differ in important ways. Like all other human beings, Muslims are among those whom the person I believe to be the final prophet, Jesus of Nazareth, taught me to treat as I want to be treated. As a Christian, I cannot allow the hatemongering politicians to use my faith to get elected. Enough already. So, what lesson must we learn now at this painful moment? Not just that a government that can close mosques today can close churches tomorrow. Nor that Americans in the information age have no excuse for being as ignorant about the faith of 1.4 billion people as many of us are. We should have learned these things long ago from our own history. Perhaps the key lesson of the moment is that, though there are many ways to wake up in the morning, we all wake up in the same world. We are all small, frail creatures groping toward understanding. Whatever our religion, many of us pray to God to make us better people because we realize we have not yet arrived at wisdom. We had better learn to live together so that our children will not wake up in a world in which both the Cross and the Crescent symbolize humankind's age-old lust to destroy itself. It is not too late, but we must hurry, and we must speak out. Email Mark Hamilton, professor of Old Testament at Abilene Christian University, where he has taught since 2000, at mark.hamilton@acu.edu Today in history: On Jan. 4, 1847, Samuel Colt wins a contract with the U.S. government to purchase 1,000 of his .44-caliber revolvers. Handguns were not a factor in U.S. history until Colt began to mass-produce them. They cost a lot to make and had not been particularly accurate. Americans preferred knives for close combat. The repeat-revolver, introduced in 1836, began to change that. Though not as accurate as a rifle, the handgun were deadly at 30 to 40 yards. By the 1850s, Colts were popular in the American West. EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a press release from the Abilene Police Department concerning a shooting shortly after midnight Monday. UPDATE After being released from Hendrick Medical Center, Derek Lee Casey, DOB 7/12/84, was formally arrested and charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer. Casey was booked into the Taylor County Jail just before 5:00 am. His bond was set by Judge Sparky Dean at $250,000 per count. Other charges could be filed against Casey pending the outcome of this investigation. The officers involved remain on administrative leave as per policy. ORIGINAL STORY On January 4, 2016, at 12:13 am, Abilene officers were dispatched to a call in the 1100 block of Burger Street. The caller reported a known male was outside of her home and was armed with a gun. The caller believed the suspect was on some type of drug, and she indicated that he was possibly trying to get into the home because he was after his girlfriend. The suspects girlfriend was inside the home with the calling party, along with two other occupants. The home was locked, but the suspect reportedly tried to get into the house. When officers arrived, they approached from the front and the rear of the residence. The two officers in the alley observed the suspect near the back door. They gave him verbal commands, whereupon early information indicates the suspect fired at the two police officers. The officers returned fire, striking the suspect. Officers then provided immediate life-saving measures until the Fire Department and EMS arrived. The suspect was transported to Hendrick Medical Center where he remains at the time of this media release. His condition is not believed to be critical. He is identified as 31-year old Derrick Casey. The suspect is in police custody and will likely be charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault against a Peace Officer. Other charges may be filed as the investigation continues. The two involved officers were not injured, nor were any other persons. The officers have been placed on administrative leave in accordance with policy. Additionally, the Police Department contacted the Texas Rangers and requested an independent investigation. This is an active investigation. More information may be released at a later time. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... As a goodwill gesture, the North Korean governments agreement to send the countrys most famous pop group the Moranbong Band to Beijing for a concert turned into a major flop. The visit by the girl group famous for tight dresses, high heels, sanitized western pop songs and North Korean revolutionary standards marked a high-profile attempt to repair relations between China and North Korea which have been in a rather sorry state since 2012. Instead of a new show of cooperation, the Dec. 12 concert turned into no show at all. The band holds a special place in modern North Korean popular culture. It is essentially the creation of the young North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un, who maintains contact with the group. While no one would confuse a Moranbong performance with its heavily-edited lyrics and homages to Kim with a Lady Gaga concert, their emergence in 2012 was seen as a sign of change, and so was the groups first performance in China. In the days preceding the scheduled performance, the North Korean media was full of stories about expectations in Beijing the inhabitants of which were said to be eagerly waiting for the world-famous band. It was clearly an exaggeration, but the Chinese side had indeed arranged for a rather high-level performance, and a number of high-level officials were expected at the bands opening night Things did not turn out as expected. The Moranbong band suddenly left Beijing without explanation that afternoon. In essence, the entire band rushed out of their hotel with luggage in tow, boarded cars and went to the airport where a plane departing for Pyongyang was waiting for a few hours for the band. All of this was accompanied by frantic heavyweight diplomatic activities, with the North Korean ambassador and a number of Chinese political bigwigs negotiating in the hotel where the band was staying. The girls departure was so sudden that there was no way to warn spectators in time about the cancellation. Most arrived at the highly prestigious venue, only to learn that the promised act had disappeared. This incident remains unexplained, and a number of stories have been floating around in the last week or two. One insists that the North Koreans were unhappy with a Chinese guest list that was short on top officials. According to another account, China and North Korea could not agree on which songs should be performed. Regardless of the reason behind this strange and perhaps unprecedented incident, it is certain to have some impact on relations between China and North Korea. The incident became a major embarrassment for the Chinese government, and it is likely to be remembered as such for years to come. Whether the Moranbong Band Affair will hamper any improvement of relations between the two nations is an open question. The strategic decisions of major countries are not often determined by emotions, contrary to what many might believe, and the bruised egos of politicians have very little impact on policy decisions -- at least so far as the Chinese are concerned. Improving relations with North Korea generally serves Chinas long-term interests, no matter what North Korean pop bands do or do not do in Beijing. Still, there are indications of unease. Immediately after the incident, Chinese censors began to delete all comments on the Moranbong Band girls escape, in what looked like an effort to prevent an outburst of wounded nationalism on social media a frequent occurrence in China. Statements of Chinese officials have also been remarkably careful and almost comically nebulous. At the end of the day, The Moranbong Affair does further reinforce the impression of North Korea as a bizarre and mercurial place, where pretty much anything could happen. The Chinese have never seen the North Koreans as trustworthy partners, and now, a highly visible and widely reported incident once again confirms this perception. This will not probably have an immediate impact on relations, but in the long run, its not going to do North Korea any good. China's embattled human rights lawyers have called on the ruling Chinese Communist Party to improve its treatment of their colleagues in 2016. By Dec. 30, authorities across China had detained, questioned, or otherwise sanctioned at least 316 rights lawyers, law firm employees, rights activists, and family members, the Hong Kong-based Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group said in a statement on its website. The crackdown began with the detention of lawyer Wang Yu and her colleagues at Beijing's Fengrui law firm on the night of July 9, 2015, the rights group said. Some 22 people remain under residential surveillance or house arrest, eight are being held under criminal detention, while four have "disappeared." Some 20 people are believed to be being held on suspicion of "endangering state security," the group said. The authorities have yet to inform the families of a number of those detained of their status and whereabouts, and those who are incommunicado have been so for up to 224 days in some cases, it said. 'A cold fear' While 266 people have been released after initial detention or questioning, at least 30 of them, including close family members, have been denied permission to leave the country. "Gradually, and at different times, the people around us have been taken from us and put in jail," the Association of Chinese Human Rights Lawyers, a mainland group, said in a statement to mark the New Year. "There is a cold fear that has seeped into every corner of our lives, and the authorities are turning up the pressure, so we have very little room for maneuver," it said. "But human rights lawyers have stayed steadfast through it all, remaining at the forefront of the rule of law and human rights [in China]," it said. The group called on the government to protect the rights of all citizens under the terms of international rights covenants. "We must stand up in the face of this omnipresent, omnipotent power and tell them that human rights are universal, and should apply to all human societies," the statement said. "The spirit of the times is on our side," it said. Frequent target The wife of detained rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang, Li Wenzu, called on the authorities to release him as soon as possible. "We definitely want him back at home as soon as possible, but we don't even know his status for sure, or what the authorities are planning, nor what the outcome will be," Li said. "He has been a rights lawyer for so many years, and things have been so difficult," she said. "He is frequently the target of persecution." "I am worried about his health and personal safety, and I have that worry hanging over me every day," she said. "But we need people like him to advance the rule of law [in China]. What would happen if nobody did it?" Nationwide crackdown Hunan-based rights lawyer Cai Ying said the crackdown on lawyers comes amid a nationwide attack on freedom of expression by the administration of President Xi Jinping. "The authorities are hoping that fewer and fewer people will speak out after this latest round of persecution," Cai said. "Some people have given up [rights work], while others are afraid to speak out." "But some lawyers have kept going with courage, so they haven't achieved their aim." And Guangdong rights lawyer Liu Shihui agreed, citing the targeting of nongovernment organizations (NGOs) throughout the year. "There were a lot of people who fell victim to this in other human-rights related areas last year," Liu said. "The damage done to human rights work was broader and deeper than at any time in history." Henan rights lawyer Chang Boyang said 2015 was a terrible year for human rights in China, and for the legal profession in particular. "2015 was a year in which the rule of law was trampled underfoot," Chang said. "It was a year of disasters, and we should ... reflect on that." "I hope that the rule of law will find a new direction in 2016." Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Yang Fan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying on Monday hit out at the 'disappearance' of a fifth bookseller and publisher linked to a bookstore known for selling political gossip about the ruling Chinese Communist Party. But he stopped short of confirming that the owners and employees of Causeway Bay Books and its parent publishing company had indeed been detained by Chinese police or their agents in Hong Kong, which has maintained its status as a separate jurisdiction since the 1997 handover to China. "No other law enforcement agencies outside of Hong Kong have such authority," Leung, who has often been accused of kowtowing to Beijing, told reporters. "In Hong Kong, the only people who can exercise the power of the law are our legal enforcement agencies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government," he said. "The law protects the rights, including the freedom and safety of everybody in Hong Kong." "It would be unacceptable if mainland law enforcement agents enforce laws in Hong Kong because this violates the Basic Law," Leung said, in a reference to the territory's mini-constitution. Leung told reporters that the government is "concerned" about the case, and will be following up on it. Lee Bo, 65, who manages Causeway Bay Books, was last seen last Wednesday in the Chai Wan warehouse of Mighty Current, the publishing house that owns the shop, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Monday. Four of his business associates, publisher Gui Minhai, general manager Lui Bo and colleagues Cheung Jiping and Lam Wing-kei have gone missing under similar circumstances since October, although some have called to let their families know they are alive and well, suggesting they are now in detention in China. Rights lawyer and pan-democratic lawmaker Albert Ho said the booksellers' disappearances are likely linked to a planned book on President Xi Jinping's love life. "It probably has to do with ... a book containing a story about a girlfriend [of Xi's] ... from some years ago," Ho told a news conference in Hong Kong on Sunday. "The publishers were warned not to publish this book ... [which] probably hasn't gotten as far as the printing stage yet," he said. In an interview with RFA, Ho said the case of the missing booksellers is the latest in a long line of assaults on Hong Kong's traditional freedom of expression and publication. "The mainland is targeting our publishing industry and our journalists in a policy that could be described as white terror," Ho said. "This has been going on for some time now, and now we can see the long arm of Chinese law enforcement reaching into Hong Kong." Retaliation and protests The hacker group Anonymous has vowed to attack Chinese government websites in retaliation for not allowing Hong Kong to maintain the high degree of autonomy it was promised before the handover, according to a video posted to YouTube. The 'disappearances' have sparked protests in Hong Kong, as well as growing calls for the government to investigate whether the "one country, two systems" principle agreed with the city's outgoing British rulers had been violated. Lees wife told Hong Kong's Cable TV that her husband had called her from neighboring Shenzhen the night he disappeared, speaking Mandarin rather than the couple's native tongue, Cantonese. "He said he will not be coming back any time soon. He said he was assisting in an investigation," she said. "I asked him if it was about the previous cases, he said yes. It was about the missing [associates]," she said, in comments translated by the SCMP, which also quoted Hong Kong police sources as saying they had no record of Lee going through immigration on his way out of the city. Richard Choi, of the Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, said there are fears that the five men may be in extrajudicial detention. "We don't know where these people are, and that is a serious violation of their human rights," Choi told RFA. "[Lee's] wife said he called her from Shenzhen, but how did he get there?" "It is likely that he was illegally kidnapped by the Chinese police or the state security police in Hong Kong, which is a serious violation of the one country, two systems principle," he said. Lawmaker and Labour Party chairman Lee Cheuk-yan said the idea that Chinese law enforcement could act of their own volition in Hong Kong was "terrifying." "If we have one territory, two policing systems, then this is really asking for trouble, and it is a total violation of the Basic Law," he said. Mountain out of a molehill While Beijing has made no comment so far on the 'disappearance' of the five men, the Global Times newspaper, which has close ties to the Communist Party, said Hong Kong people were "making a mountain out of a molehill" by speculating on Lee's fate. "The hottest theory is that Lee Bo was detained by mainland law enforcement personnel in a so-called cross border operation," the paper said in a signed commentary article on Monday, pointing to the content of books sold in Causeway Bay Books as a contributing factor. "A lot of the books they sold harbored malicious content which constituted a serious threat to the right of reputation," it said, without detailing whose reputation had been threatened. It said such books had begun to circulate across the internal border in mainland China, where political writings are tightly controlled by party censors, "acting as a source of political rumors and causing a certain amount of pernicious impact." The article, signed by Shan Renping, accused the bookstore of peddling "forbidden books" deliberately targeting mainland Chinese tourists who then bring the books back home with them. "Some people are crazy enough to want to turn Hong Kong into the last bastion of political opposition to Beijing," it said. Inquiries made by RFA with Beijing's Central Liaison Office in Hong Kong on Monday had met with no reply by the time of writing. In May 2014, a court in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Wednesday handed a 10-year jail term to 79-year-old Hong Kong publisher Yiu Man-tin after he edited a book highly critical of President Xi Jinping. Earlier this year, the Central Liaison Office acquired control of Hong Kong's Sino United Publishing Co. in a move that gave it control of 80 percent of the book publishing market in the territory. The liaison office already owns a number of Chinese-language media, including the Wen Wei Po, Ta Kung Pao and Hong Kong Commercial Daily newspapers, as well as the online Orange News. Reported by Dai Weisen for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Xin Lin for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Afghanistans Interior Ministry says a suicide bomber has carried out an attack on a police checkpoint near Kabul airport, killing himself but causing no other fatalities. City police in Kabul said the suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a vehicle on January 4 in an area close to where a suicide bomber last week had killed one other person and wounded 33. But an Interior Ministry official said the suicide bomber approached the police checkpoint on foot. There also was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The attack came as Afghan special forces early on January 4 were battling militants who barricaded themselves in a house in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif after a failed attempt to storm into the nearby Indian consulate. Based on reporting by Reuters and AP An opposition activist in Armenia has been arrested and remanded in pretrial custody after he and other members of a radical group seeking to topple the government clashed with riot police on New Years Eve. Police used force against the New Armenia Public Salvation Front activists as they attempted to place a Christmas tree in Yerevans Liberty Square, the scene of antigovernment rallies staged by the group in December. Gevorg Safarian and four other protesters were detained. All were released within hours except Safarian, who was charged with assaulting a police officer. Safarian denies the charges, which carry a penalty of up to five years in prison if he is convicted. Safarians lawyer, Tigran Hayrapetian, says it was the police officer who attacked Safarian during the incident. Other activists have accused the police of violence during a rally outside police headquarters in Yerevan to condemn Safarians prosecution. Afghan officials say the siege near India's consulate in northern Afghanistan has ended after all the attackers were killed. Balkh Governor Atta Mohammad Noor, who had been coordinating the operation in the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, made the announcement on Facebook late on January 4. The provincial police chief, Sayed Kamal Sadat, confirmed the 25-hour "clearance operation is over" and that the attackers had been killed. The operation began late on January 3 after gunmen tried unsuccessfully to break into the consulate. Afghan forces successfully flushed out the militants who were holed up in a building -- located in a residential area -- near the consulate. Sarwar Hussaini, a provincial police spokesman, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying on January 5 that 10 people were wounded during the clashes, including five civilians who got caught in the crossfire. Hussaini said there were three gunmen and all were killed. Earlier, Muneer Ahmed Farhad, the government spokesman in Balkh Province, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that at least two members of the Afghan security forces had been killed. The Indian ambassador said all the consulate staff were safe. Indian Attacks There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which is the latest in a series of assaults on Indian installations in Afghanistan. The incident occurred while Indian security forces were still trying to suppress an attack on an air base in Pathankot, near the border with Pakistan. In 2008 a car bomb at the Indian Embassy in Kabul killed 60 people and the facility was again hit by a suicide strike in 2009. Nine civilians, including seven children, were killed in August 2013 when suicide bombers targeted the Indian Consulate in the eastern city of Jalalabad. In 2014, India's consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat was hit by heavily armed insurgents including suicide bombers. The most recent attack came amid renewed efforts to reduce long-standing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad and restart peace talks with the Afghan Taliban as part of a broader drive to improve stability in the region. With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters A British man who compared a local delicacy in Kyrgyzstan to a horse penis has been ordered to leave the country. The deportation order by Karakols city court was issued on January 4 against Michael McFeat, an employee of the Canadian mining firm Centerra Gold. The order says McFeat must leave Kyrgyzstan by January 5. McFeat had posted a remark on Facebook photos that showed Kyrgyz employees of Centerra Gold at the companys New Year celebration lining up to eat chuchuk -- a sausage made from horse meat and intestines. He said the employees were preparing to eat a Kyrgyz special delicacy, the horses penis. McFeat apologized for the remark after it prompted Kyrgyz workers at the Kumtor mine to stage a strike on January 2. The Kumtor mine is at the center of a dispute between Kyrgyzstans government and the Canadian mining company. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Just days after Federal Nationalities Minister Igor Barinov apologized for branding three respected Daghestani weeklies as coming close to betraying Russia's national interests, a potential new threat has emerged to the publications in question. One of the three, Chernovik, reported in its December 25 issue that Republic of Daghestan head Ramazan Abdulatipov has tasked one of the law enforcement agencies with compiling a list of media outlets, journalists, and bloggers whose writing qualifies as "subversive" and "supporting extremism." That development is particularly disturbing insofar as Daghestan is one of the few federation subjects with independent media outlets whose reporters remain uncompromisingly committed to upholding a degree of media freedom absent elsewhere (especially in the North Caucasus), sometimes at the cost of their lives. No fewer than 15 Daghestani journalists, including former Chernovik editor Gadzhimurad Kamalov, have been killed over the past 20 years (although none since Abdulatipov was first named acting republic head three years ago). None of those killings has been solved. What is more, some observers infer that Abdulatipov was behind Barinov's critical remarks. Addressing the Third Forum of North Caucasus Media in Pyatigorsk on December 10, Barinov claimed that three Daghestani newspapers -- Chernovik, Novoye Delo, and Svobodnaya Respublika -- had positioned themselves in opposition to the Daghestani and possibly even the federal authorities, and "overstepped the mark beyond which...this borders on the betrayal of national interests." Barinov further said those papers make no distinction between the Russian pilots currently deployed in Syria and "terrorists," and accused them of seeking to justify the shooting down by Turkey in late November of a Russian warplane. He opined that in this situation "the state should use force and its authority" against the papers in question. Abdulatipov, who was sitting next to Barinov, reportedly expressed approval of Barinov's allegations. North Caucasus Federal District head Sergei Melikov, however, whose family hails from Daghestan and also attended the forum, immediately took issue with Barinov. Melikov denied the three papers are in any way subversive, and stressed the importance of the role of independent media in reporting on domestic political problems in such a turbulent region as Daghestan. In a statement to the website Kavpolit.com the same day, Chernovik editor Mairbek Agayev categorically rejected the accusation of betraying national interests. He said that the three papers are the only sources in Daghestan of an alternative viewpoint, and that his paper's editorial line can be summarized as "don't steal and don't violate the rights of the people." Agayev further suggested that Barinov had been induced by Abdulatipov to criticize the three papers publicly. Barinov himself acknowledged at the forum that he had just visited that republic and had traveled from there to Pyatigorsk in Abdulatipov's company. Barinov had reportedly been displeased by the failure of some Daghestani students forced to attend an official function in Makhachkala to rise to their feet when the state hymns of Russia and Daghestan were played. The website Onkavkaz.com suggested that Abdulatipov's aides had told Barinov that the three newspapers were directly responsible for the students' "lack of patriotism." The day after the forum, the heads of various federal and Daghestani agencies received phone calls from Abdulatipov's office asking them to stop providing the three publications with information. Novoye Delo editor in chief Gadzhimurad Sagitov similarly commented that Barinov's assessment was in all probability due to his taking at face value the information fed to him by Abdulatipov's entourage, given that anyone who read the paper regularly would know such criticism was groundless. Novoye Delo wrote to Barinov seeking to clarify the reasons for what it termed "a stab in the back." In an editorial, it asked how long he had been reading the paper, and on the basis of which specific articles he had reached his conclusions. Barinov has apparently not yet responded to those questions. His office did, however, contact Chernovik to offer apologies. Like their Chernovik colleagues, the editorial staff of Novoye Delo denied ever taking up a position in opposition to the federal authorities and reaffirmed their readiness for "constructive cooperation" with the Federal Agency for Nationality Affairs that Barinov heads. The paper then cited largely positive comments on its coverage from 10 republican officials and public figures and Caucasus experts, including journalist Maksim Shevchenko, who thought Barinov had been set up, and physician Magomed Abdulkhabirov, who suggested the three publications should take Barinov to court. By contrast, Svobodnaya Respublika declined to respond to Barinov's accusations. Its political commentator, Zaur Gaziyev, was quoted by the news portal Caucasus Knot as saying simply that "we don't know" what they were based on. Whether or not Barinov's criticism of the three newspapers was based on distorted information originating with Abdulatipov's entourage, Abdulatipov has good reason to resent their efforts to provide objective analysis of both political developments and economic affairs. Chernovik reported in detail on the two successive trials of former Makhachkala Mayor Said Amirov on charges of murder and terrorism that the prosecution struggled to substantiate. More recently, Chernovik has relentlessly chronicled the republican authorities' disastrous handling of measures to renovate the ancient southern town of Derbent in the run-up to the September 2015 celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of its foundation. Moscow provided the lion's share of the funding for those measures, but neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev traveled to Derbent to take part in the festivities. Their absence was widely construed as a reflection of official displeasure. Abdulatipov's apparent desire to muzzle such newspapers is understandable if he believes his standing vis-a-vis Putin is being eroded as a result of their reporting. Ironically, Putin himself is on record as having ordered investigators to work more intensively on solving the killings of Daghestani journalists. In his annual address to the Daghestani parliament in January 2015, Abdulatipov gave the number of slain journalists as 12, adding that 11 of those killings had been solved. Russia's use of Iranian-made drones to attack Ukraine shows that Russia is both politically and militarily bankrupt, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on October 18 after saying that Russian air strikes in the past week had destroyed almost one-third of Ukraine's power stations. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Zelenskiy said for decades Russia spent billions of dollars on its military-industrial complex, "and in the end they bowed to Tehran to get rather simple drones and missiles." Speaking in his nightly address, he said that strategically, this will not help Russia in any way. "It only additionally proves to the world that Russia is on a losing path and is trying to draw someone else into its accomplices," he said. "We will definitely ensure an appropriate international reaction to this." Iran denies supplying drones to Russia, and the Kremlin said it had no information about whether Iranian kamikaze drones were used. But British intelligence early on October 18 identified the drones used by Russia as being Iranian-made, and the U.S. State Department assessed that Iranian drones were used on October 17 in an attack on Kyiv. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre accused Tehran of lying when it said Iranian drones were not being used by Russia in Ukraine. Jean-Pierre on October 17 told reporters that the White House "strongly condemns Russia's missile strikes" and that the attacks continued "to demonstrate [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's brutality." The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, said Washington would "not hesitate to use sanctions or take actions" against companies and countries working with Iran's drone program. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel also said a deepening alliance between Russia and Iran "is something the whole world -- especially those in the region and across the world, frankly -- should be seeing as a profound threat." Moscow began the recent wave of air attacks last week, hitting residential areas in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Zelenskiy tweeted early on October 18 that the attacks had caused massive blackouts across Ukraine and that there was "no space left for negotiations" with Putin. Kyiv's prosecutor office said two people were killed in the October 18 strikes in Kyiv after five others lost their lives in the drone attacks of the previous day in the capital. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance will deliver air-defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days. Speaking at a security conference in Berlin, Stoltenberg said the systems would help Ukraine defend itself against attacks, including by drones made in Iran. "The most important thing we can do is deliver on what allies have promised, to step up and deliver even more air-defense systems," Stoltenberg said. Earlier on October 18, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office, said there had been three Russian strikes on an unspecified energy facility in northern Kyiv. "The situation is critical now across the country. It's necessary for the whole country to prepare for electricity, water, and heating outages," Tymoshenko told Ukrainian television. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attack was on "critical infrastructure." The northern Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr was left without water and electricity supply after Russian air strikes, but its mayor told RFE/RL that the services had been largely restored. "Around noon, we connected the main sewage plant, and the water supply was more or less operational. Currently, approximately 80 percent of the city has electricity, but the central part of the city remains without it," he said. Russian troops also shelled energy facilities in Dnipro and blasts were reported in Kharkiv. Explosions also shook the cities of Kriviy Rih and Mykolayiv, local officials said, a day after Russia launched waves of kamikaze drone strikes that killed at least seven people, four of them in Kyiv, and damaged infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital and several other cities across the country. "Kriviy Rih. Explosions in the northern part of the city. We are in shelters," Oleksandr Vilkul the head of the central Ukrainian city's military administration said on social media, adding that so far there were no reports of casualties or damage. In the southern port of Mykolayiv overnight shelling killed at least one person, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkovych said early on October 18. The Russian-appointed head of the Kherson region announced on October 18 that the civilian population will be evacuated from part of the region as he warned of an expected escalation of hostilities. Vladimir Saldo on October 18 announced an "organized, gradual displacement" of civilians from four towns on the right bank of the Dnieper River. The new commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, Sergei Surovikin, said the situation in Kherson "is difficult," telling state-owned Rossia-24 television news channel in an interview, "The enemy is deliberately striking infrastructure and residential buildings in Kherson." With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and AFP Saudi Arabia has cut diplomatic relations with its regional rival, Iran, after attacks on the Saudi Embassy and consulate in Tehran over the execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric by Riyadh. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the severing of ties late on January 3 and gave Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. All Saudi diplomatic personnel in Iran have been called home after the kingdom's diplomatic compound in Tehran was attacked in the early morning hours of January 3, with intruders setting fires and throwing papers from the roof. The moves come amid increasingly harsh rhetoric between Riyadh and Tehran, with Iran's supreme leader warning of "divine vengeance" for the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh that the Iranian regime had "a long record of violations of foreign diplomatic missions," dating back to the occupation of the U.S. Embassy in 1979. He said such incidents constituted "a flagrant violation of all international agreements," and that Iran's "hostile policy" was aimed "at destabilizing the region's security." Jubeir also accused Tehran of smuggling weapons and explosives and planting terrorist cells in the kingdom and other countries in the region. He vowed that Saudi Arabia would not allow Iran "to undermine our security." Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority says all flights to and from Iran have been canceled. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), an ally of Saudi Arabia, downgraded its diplomatic representation with Iran on January 4, recalling its own envoy from Tehran and reducing the number of Iranian diplomats it allows in the U.A.E. Bahrain and Sudan on January 4 also announced they were cutting diplomatic ties with Iran. Kuwait also condemned the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran and expressed support for the kingdom, but stopped short of saying it would cut off diplomatic ties with Tehran. WATCH: Shi'ite groups in Pakistan added their voices to protests around the world against Saudi Arabia's execution of prominent Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Karachi and chanted death to the Saudi royal family. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called both countries' foreign ministers to urge calm. The White House urged Saudi Arabia and Iran to not let their diplomatic spat derail talks to end Syria's conflict. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Washington was concerned about the situation and wanted Saudi Arabia and Iran to show restraint. He urged both nations not to inflame tensions or further sectarian conflict. The UN envoy for Syria is heading to Saudi Arabia and Iran to gauge the impact of the rupture in relations between the two longtime regional rivals on efforts to end the Syrian conflict. UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq says Staffan de Mistura was en route to Riyadh and will visit Tehran later this week. Turkey, another player in the Syrian conflict, urged both Saudi Arabia and Iran to ease tensions, saying the Middle East region is "already like a powder keg" and cannot withstand a new crisis. Sectarian Struggle Saudi Arabia, ruled by a Sunni-led royal dynasty, is engaged in a power struggle with Shi'ite-led Iran throughout the Middle East. Both sides have used proxy forces to struggle for or maintain influence in places like Yemen, as well as Bahrain, Iraq, and Syria. The standoff illustrates the kingdom's increased defiance of Iran across the region under King Salman. During his reign, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition fighting Shi'ite rebels in Yemen and staunchly opposed regional Shi'ite power Iran, even as Tehran struck a nuclear deal in July 2015 with world powers. The execution of Nimr, announced on January 2 by Saudi Arabia, was expected to fuel further outbreaks of proxy violence. Nimr was a central figure in protests by Saudi Arabia's marginalized Shi'ite minority until his arrest in 2012 and later conviction on terrorism charges. His execution drew condemnation from Shi'a across the region. WATCH: Thousands of people gathered in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, to protest against the execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric by Saudi Arabia. In addition to Nimr, 46 others, including three Shi'ite dissidents and several Al-Qaeda militants, were put to death. Speaking on Iranian state TV, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that by cutting diplomatic ties, Riyadh could not cover up "its major mistake of executing Sheikh Nimr". The United States called for leaders in the region to take "affirmative steps" to reduce tensions. "We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences and we will continue to urge leaders across the region to take affirmative steps to calm tensions," an official of President Barack Obama's administration said. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement on January 3 that Nimr "neither invited people to take up arms nor hatched covert plots. The only thing he did was public criticism." Iran's President Hassan Rohani condemned Nimr's execution but also denounced attacks on the Saudi Embassy and consulate as "totally unjustifiable." "The buildings should be legally and religiously protected in the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, a powerful, elite paramilitary organization, called the execution a "shameful act." Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, denounced the execution as a crime by Saudi Arabia's "infamous regime." "This...blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history," Khatami was quoted as saying on January 2. In Iraq, where the Shi'ite-led government is close to Iran, prominent religious and political figures demanded that ties with Riyadh be severed. Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi warned that Nimr's execution would have repercussions on regional security. His predecessor, Nuri al-Maliki, said Nimr's execution would "topple the Saudi regime." In Baghdad, hundreds of protesters organized by influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, called for the severing of diplomatic ties with Riyadh. Young men burned U.S., British, and Israeli flags. Thousands of Iraqis also demonstrated in the cities of Najaf and Basra. With reporting by Reuters, dpa, AFP, AP, the BBC, IRNA, Fars, Mehr, WAM, TASS, and Interfax A university lecturer who went missing in Russia's Chechnya region last month was found dead on New Year's Day. The body of Khizir Yezhiyev, a teacher of economics at Grozny State Oil Technical University, was found late on January 1 on the outskirts of Roshni-Chu in Chechnyas Urus Martan district, southwest of the regional capital. Students at the university said they saw Yezhiyev being detained by law enforcement officials in Grozny on December 19. But Chechnyas Interior Ministry did not confirm that he had been detained and his whereabouts had remained unknown. Some media reports from Chechnya said Yezhiyev had been kidnapped. Unlawful detentions by security forces are a long-standing problem in Chechnya, where activists say Kremlin-backed regional head Ramzan Kadyrov rules through fear and abuse. With reporting by Caucasian Knot Pakistans Law Minister Rana Sanaullah says authorities in Punjab Province have arrested 42 suspected militants with alleged links to the Islamic State extremist group. Sanaullah said the arrests were made during the weekend in four cities across the Punjab Province as a result of evidence gathered during a raid in late December. On December 29, Sanaullah announced that police had arrested eight suspected members of the IS group in the town of Daska, in central Punjab Province, on charges that they were planning to establish a terrorist network and carry out attacks in Pakistan. Before the December 29 raid in Daska, Pakistans government had officially denied that IS was operating in Pakistan -- despite years of extremist violence in the country linked to Al-Qaeda, Taliban militants, and other Islamic extremists. In May 2015, IS militants claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 43 members of the Shiite Ismaili minority in the southern port city of Karachi. Based on reporting by AFP, The Express Tribune, and the International New York Times The Kremlin says the head of Russia's military intelligence agency, which is known as the GRU, has died unexpectedly. A statement posted on the Kremlin website on January 4 said that General Igor Sergun, 58, had suffered a "sudden death," but gave no details as to the cause, timing, or circumstances. The state-run news agency TASS said he died on January 3. The statement quoted President Vladimir Putin as giving his condolences, saying that Sergun had dedicated his "entire life...to serving the homeland and the armed forces." Sergun took over from General Aleksandr Shlyakhturov, who stepped down in 2011 at age 64. No replacement for Sergun was announced. His death comes at a time when clandestine, paramilitary, and espionage agencies in Russia have taken a central role in executing key policy decisions under Putin, himself a former chief of the lead domestic spy agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). "Sergun was an extremely important figure in the revival of the fortunes of the GRU, an agency that was pretty much at rock bottom when he took it over at the end of 2011," Mark Galeotti, a New York University professor and authority on Russia's security apparatus, wrote in a blog post on January 4. The GRU -- formally subordinate to the Russian Armed Forces' General Staff -- is widely believed to have played a central role in the stealth operation to take control of Ukraine's Crimea region in early 2014, when masked, camouflaged, armed soldiers appeared suddenly throughout the Black Sea peninsula. Western analysts and officials believe the agency was also instrumental in coordinating and overseeing the insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where a conflict between Russian-backed separatists and government forces has killed more than 9,000 people since it erupted in April 2014. Despite overwhelming evidence, Moscow has repeatedly denied its involvement in eastern Ukraine. A Russian captured in Ukraine last year said he and a fellow captive were active GRU officers when they were seized, while the Russian military said they were not serving at the time. Sergun's position as GRU chief landed him on the sanctions lists imposed in early 2014 by both the United States and the European Union, which specifically cited his oversight of "the activity of GRU officers in eastern Ukraine." The sanctions imposed on Sergun were "good Western recognition for the role of GRU in this conflict," says Michael Kofman, a Russia analyst most recently with the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute in Washington. The operations in both Crimea and eastern Ukraine have been characterized by what experts say is a resurgence of Soviet-style "hybrid" or "nonlinear" warfare, which employ conventional weaponry, but also stealth deployments, misinformation campaigns, and cyberwarfare to keep an adversary from knowing how to respond. In a speech in April in Moscow, Sergun blamed the United States and its allies for the emergence of Islamic State, the radical Islamist movement whose fighters have seized parts of Iraq and Syria and recruited thousands of people from around the world. Sergun cited the U.S. decision to supply Afghan mujahedin fighters battling Soviet armed forces in the 1980s as one cause for the emergence of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. With reporting by TASS Explosions rocked two Sunni mosques in central Iraq early on January 4 amid fears of renewed sectarian violence following Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. Authorities said a Sunni muezzin -- the person appointed to recite the Muslim call to prayer -- also was shot dead near his home in the town of Iskandariyah early on January 4. Iraqi police say the Sunni mosques in and near the city of Hilla were bombed by groups of men who were wearing military uniforms. The attacks were in a predominantly Shiite area to the south of Baghdad and about 50 kilometers east of the Shiite holy city of Karbala. One of the targets of the attack was the Ammar bin Yasser mosque in the Bakerli neighborhood of Hilla. Ten nearby houses also were damaged by that blast and three people were injured. The other attack targeted the Al-Fateh mosque in a village called Sinjar, just outside of Hilla. Based on reporting by AP and AFP A social network account belonging to Russia's communications minister has been blocked briefly by hackers identifying themselves as a Turkish activist group. Minister Nikolai Nikiforov's Instagram account was blocked by "The Bortecine Cyber Team" hackers, according to screenshots of the account, published by Russian and Turkish media on January 3. A warplane, Turkish flags, and a portrait of Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk were paraded on the account. Instagram, where users post their pictures and videos, later restored Nikiforov's account and his profile photo. However, the minister complained Instagram was slow to respond, taking more than nine hours to tackle the problem. Ties between Russia and Turkey have been strained since a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Russian warplane near the Turkish-Syrian border in November. In late December, Turkish media suggested Russian hackers could have been behind recent cyberattacks on Turkish Internet servers handling more than 300,000 websites. On December 25, Turkish banks reported sporadic disruption to credit card transactions. Based on reporting by Reuters It was with heartbreaking irony that the Richmond 80s-era rock group, the Dads, performed their reunion show the same week former member Bryan Harveys murderer, inmate No. 1100057 at Sussex State Prison in Waverley, lost an appeal in the Federal 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to save his own life. Harvey, his wife Kathyrn and daughters Stella and Ruby along with Percyell and Mary Tucker, their daughter Ashley Baskerville, Treva Terrell and Sheryl Warner were all victims of Offender No. 1100057 and his nephews murdering rampage from late 2005 to New Years Day 2006. Convicted and sentenced to death for the unspeakable murders of nine-year-old Stella and four-year-old Ruby Harvey, No. 1100057 has now spent an entire decade on death row at Sussex maneuvering through the labyrinthine appeals process trying to evade execution. Despite this most recent setback, he can still appeal to either the entire 4th Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court. This is all death penalty protocol, designed to provide condemned inmates all the considerations they never gave their victims. Social media and the Richmond Times-Dispatch comments section reflected deep-rooted vitriol toward No. 1100057s seemingly endless appeals process Fry him, reader after reader wrote, just kill him already. Dont fry No. 1100057 it lets him off too easily. Heres why: According to a complaint filed in United States District Court in Alexandria on Nov. 20, 2014, No. 1100057 was a party with first four, then three other plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Virginia Department of Corrections Director Harold Clarke and Sussex 1 Prison Warden Keith Davis. The suit protests cruel and unusual punishment at that maximum-security facility. *** The suits document is a sobering look at No. 1100057s first decade on death row. He is locked in a 9-foot by 8-foot concrete box for 22 or 23 hours a day, with only a sink, toilet, a thin mattress and 4-inch wide window. The door is solid steel, with a tiny slit at eye level and a slit at the bottom for meal delivery. The lights are never completely turned off. He is video-monitored 24/7 from a computerized control room, where corrections officers armed with shotguns can blast him if necessary with rubber pellets from ports built in the walls. Up until October, No. 1100057 was only allowed to leave his cell for a supervised 10-minute shower three days per week, and for one hour of outdoor recreation five times per week in a small outdoor cage with no exercise equipment. The document reiterates that No. 1100057 is not allowed to use the gymnasium or prison yard, nor is (he) given an opportunity for in-pod recreation. More specifically, No. 1100057 is cut off from human contact and spends nearly every minute of every day alone. Although Sussexs death row currently houses seven inmates, they are separated by several empty cells within a 44-unit pod, making communication impossible. No. 1100057 is never allowed access to general-population inmates for any educational, vocational, or behavioral programming, and he is not allowed to attend group religious services. According to the complaint, No. 1100057s treatment inflicts great mental suffering as well as physical distress. It is unrelated to any legitimate penological goal, and constitutes a form of psychological torture that amounts to the gratuitous infliction of cruel and unusual punishment upon (him). *** In the face of this legal challenge, Virginia quietly granted a few more privileges to death row inmates, but its policies are still among the most stringent in the nation. For example, instead of one hour, the prisoner now gets 90 minutes a day in the dog yard. He was granted restricted television privileges and a few minutes a day to send monitored emails. Certainly no one who knew and loved the Harvey family feels sorry for those who inflicted such cruel and unusual punishment on them. But we are a far more civilized people than No. 1100057 and his nephew. Instead of exercising vengeance, Virginia should keep twisting the screws of this deliberate form of execution a lingering, eventual death at the end of a deprived and unnatural existence. While the Dads musical reunion celebrated the lives and talents of our friends, it should also serve as a reminder that the Harveys killer is a lifeless shadow, sealed inside a 71-square foot cement coffin. There will never be scholarships or remembrances in his name. Let the appeals end, and leave him to an unbearably sluggish minute-by-minute, decades-long existence of denied freedoms, maddening isolation and constant armed surveillance. Forget the death penalty. No. 1100057 should survive for his crimes. Alone and forgotten, just a shackled and fading number on a prison ledger. Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently got into a tussle over their differing foreign policy visions at the Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire. Sanders criticized Clinton for being too hawkish in the Middle East. I think and I say this with due respect that I worry too much that Secretary Clinton is too much into regime change and a little bit too aggressive without knowing what the unintended consequences might be, he said during Dec. 19 debate in New Hampshire. Yes, we could get rid of (former Iraqi leader) Saddam Hussein, but that destabilized the entire region, Sanders said. Yes, we could get rid of (former Libyan dictator Muammar) Gaddafi, a terrible dictator, but that created a vacuum for ISIS. Yes, we could get rid of (Syrian dictator Bashar) Assad tomorrow, but that would create another political vacuum that would benefit ISIS. So I think, yeah, regime change is easy, getting rid of dictators is easy. But before you do that, youve got to think about what happens the day after. Clinton shot back, With all due respect, senator, you voted for regime change with respect to Libya. You joined the Senate in voting to get rid of Gaddafi, and you asked that there be a Security Council validation of that with a resolution. We wondered if Clinton was right that Sanders previously wanted the Libyan leader gone, even though he now views Gaddafis ousting as a cautionary tale. The vote The U.S. military spent about $2 billion and several months backing the Libyan uprising against Gaddafi, who had held power for decades. The uprising part of the Arab Spring toppled Gaddafi in August 2011, and rebel forces killed him the following October. Congress never voted to authorize U.S. military action in Libya, so what is Clinton talking about? On March 1, 2011, the Senate approved a resolution strongly condemning the gross and systematic violations of human rights in Libya. The Senate approved the resolution by unanimous consent, so senators never actually voted on it. But Sanders showed his support by joining in as one of 10 co-sponsors. The resolution called for peaceful regime change, saying Gaddafi should desist from further violence, recognize the Libyan peoples demand for democratic change, resign his position and permit a peaceful transition to democracy. A Senate resolution carries very little weight. It has no legal teeth and is more like a statement expressing the general sense of Congress, said Joshua Huder, senior fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. In effect, all this resolution does is say, Gaddafi is a bad person and should stop, Huder said, noting that this document cannot be interpreted as an expression of congressional intent to take specific action to oust Gaddafi. Sanders campaign said Clinton was misrepresenting his record because the Senate resolution was nonbinding and not a show of support for U.S. military action. In a March 28, 2011, interview, Sanders described his position toward regime change in Libya. He wanted Gaddafi gone, but not at all costs. Look, everybody understands Gaddafi is a thug and murderer, Sanders said to Fox News. We want to see him go, but I think in the midst of two wars (in Iraq and Afghanistan), Im not quite sure we need a third war, and I hope the president tells us that our troops will be leaving there, that our military action in Libya will be ending very, very shortly. Clinton also said Sanders vote signaled support for United Nations action to get rid of Gaddafi. The Senate resolution asked the United Nations Security Council to take such further action as may be necessary to protect civilians in Libya from attack, including the possible imposition of a no-fly zone over Libyan territory. The two related U.N. resolutions 1970 and 1973 called for drastic measures to pressure Gaddafi to stop his alleged human rights abuses, including establishing a no-fly zone and imposing an asset freeze on members of the regime. Neither resolution explicitly calls for regime change, though. But Clinton as secretary of state and leaders from other countries did use the two U.N. resolutions as a platform to take actions that they hoped would pressure Gaddafi to step down and allow a transition to democracy. While our military mission is focused on saving lives, we must continue to pursue the broader goal of a Libya that belongs not to a dictator, but to the Libyan people, Clinton said at the International Conference on Libya March 29, 2011. Our ruling Clinton said Sanders voted for regime change with respect to Libya. The reality is a bit more complicated than the sound bite. Sanders supported a nonbinding Senate resolution that called on Gaddafi to resign his post in a peaceful, democratic transition of power. While the Senate passed the resolution by unanimous consent meaning no one actually voted on it Sanders was one of 10 co-sponsors. At the time, Sanders told the media he wanted Gaddafi out of power, but it might not be worth it if it required sustained U.S. military involvement. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. This Position Is Closed to New Applicants This position is no longer open for new applications. Either the position has expired or was removed because it was filled. However, there are thousands of other great jobs to be found on Rigzone. Jeffrey Marks, the president and general manager of WDBJ (Channel 7) who guided the station through the shock, mourning and recovery that followed the on-air killings of two Channel 7 employees last year, will leave Roanokes top-rated television station for a role with its new corporate owner. Marks said he will become director of talent development for Gray Television, the Atlanta-based media company that is buying WDBJ and several other television stations from Schurz Communications of Mishawaka, Indiana. The sale of the stations could be complete by Feb. 1, according to a Schurz executive. Marks said he decided to stay at WDBJ through the sale. In his new job, he said that he will help recruit and develop new talent for Grays stations, which will number 50 after the sale. He plans to stay in Roanoke for the time being and will work from home and on the road. I expect Ill be working out of my briefcase, he said. Its a big job, and one I think I will enjoy. Gray wants to step up their recruitment of talent and development of talent. This is something I can really sink my teeth into. Marks, 63, has been the boss at WDBJ since 2007 and is just the fourth general manager in the 60-year history of Roanokes CBS affiliate. His leadership came during a tumultuous time for news organizations, including broadcast outlets, as more digital offerings pried eyeballs away from traditional newscasts. WDBJ was also hit with a record penalty from the Federal Communications Commission after a 2012 newscast included a televised image from a website that briefly showed male nudity. WDBJ has appealed the FCC fine. Still, nothing could compare to the tragedy that unfolded on Aug. 26 when reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, were shot and killed by a former WDBJ employee during a live segment aired on the News 7 Mornin broadcast. Following the deaths of Parker and Ward, Marks became a national voice for WDBJs anguish. He conducted interviews with dozens of national media outlets that camped in Channel 7s parking lot, spoke at memorial services and continued to make sure the station produced daily newscasts while reporters and co-workers processed their grief, sometimes during emotional broadcasts. When August 26 happened, I was so thankful to have him there, said Marci Burdick, senior vice president of broadcasting for Schurz. Burdick praised Marks ability to manage all of the external forces, all while never taking his eye off the way the staff was feeling inside. He never thought about himself, it was always about the staff. Thats the mark of a true leader. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, who was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame last year, Marks came to Roanoke from WAGT in Augusta, Georgia, in July 2007. His broadcasting career began in 1971, when he was a student at the University of Kentucky, and he has been a radio reporter, TV news producer, editorial producer and general manager. He was an executive news producer at WJLA in Washington, D.C. and worked at stations in New York, New Jersey and Maine before joining Schurz in 2005. Marks also presided over a transitional period for WDBJ, the longtime leader in the Roanoke-Lynchburg TV market. The station saw the departures of longtime anchorman Keith Humphry, sports director Mike Stevens, news director Amy Morris and other veteran reporters. Marks 2011 hiring of then-23-year-old Chris Hurst as co-anchor alongside Jean Jadhon at the signature 6 p.m. newscast was a surprise move at the time. Now, four and a half years later, WDBJ is still the market leader in broadcast news. The stations newscasts are the most-watched from morning until night. Kevin Latek, a senior vice president for Gray Television, said the WDBJ job will be advertised after acquisition of the Schurz stations is completed. He said that Marks experience will benefit his company, which will expand from 30 markets in the United States to 50 after the deal. News is incredibly important to us, and we want to marry his skills with our needs, Latek said. Were a company thats expanding, and we want to make sure we keep up with training talent as we should. Jeff has decades of experience in television and television news. Were grateful hes not ready to retire yet. Marks has also been active in Roanokes charitable and cultural circles. He has chaired the boards of United Way of Roanoke Valley and Opera Roanoke and has been on the board of the Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau. Ive never had so much career enjoyment as Ive had here, Marks said. That stands in stark contrast with the last five months. Its really hard to balance that out. Its still enjoyable but the meaning has changed. Everything has taken on a new perspective. PULASKI A motion to move the trial of the mother of 5-year-old Noah Thomas the Dublin boy found dead in a septic tank last spring was tabled until lawyers can attempt to seat a jury. Testimony was heard on the motion Monday. Kelsey Bulger, the lawyer for Noah Thomas mother Ashley White, wrote in the motion that White cant receive a fair Pulaski County trial in a community that is warped by its desire for perceived retribution, one that is incapable of remaining unbiased in the face of continuing media reports and speculation. White is charged with two Class 6 felony charges of abuse and neglect relating to Noah and the care of his infant sister. Class 6 felonies are punishable by a maximum of five years on each charge. A grand jury also indicted her on a Class 4 felony charge of abuse and neglect relating to the care of Noah. A Class 4 felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Her three-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on Feb. 8. White was previously charged with felony homicide, but a judge determined there was not enough evidence to present that charge to a grand jury. Noahs father, Paul Thomas, faces two Class 6 felony charges of abuse and neglect relating to Noah and the care of his infant sister. His trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 25. Six media outlets including The Roanoke Times were subpoenaed for the change of venue hearing on Monday. More than a dozen folders full of press clippings, website printoffs and a box with 64 DVDs were presented to Circuit Court Judge Bradley Finch as he weighed out whether or not a jury could be seated. Bulger with the help of the public defenders investigator Brian Porter also presented a litany of social media posts via Facebook community pages like Noah Thomas our Small Town Angel, which has more than 20,000 likes and, according to Bulger, is used to memorialize the boy. Justice for Children Without Voices In Memory of Noah Thomas has more than 7,000 likes, and that page is focused on punishing individuals whom the online mob labeled as child abusers, Bulger wrote. Many of the comments cited on those pages were laced with profanity and called for White to be punished or killed alongside Noahs father, Bulger said. As Bulger presented specific posts Monday about Noah Thomas being found in a septic tank and a specific post calling for White to be put down like a dog, White wept. For much of the hearing, she sat stoic. Bulger also argued that legal precedence from Pulaski County is a compelling reason to move the trial. She cited the Tara Munsey murder case in which the Virginia Supreme Court threw out a conviction and death sentence handed down by a Pulaski County jury to Jeffrey Allen Thomas in the January 2000 shooting death of the 16-year-old. The court ruled that Circuit Court Judge Colin Gibb should have moved the trial after it took 13 days to seat a jury in the high-profile case. County Commonwealths Attorney Mike Fleenor argued Monday that a jury could be fairly seated in the Noah Thomas case, and at that the court owed it to the community to at least try. He said he believed a jury of Pulaski County residents could determine the value of information presented in the courtroom versus what some crackpot put on Facebook. Fleenor, who was the county prosecutor in the Munsey case, did concede that plenty of media and online attention has been given to the current case. However, the court must at least attempt to put together a jury before changing the venue of Whites trial, he said. Finch said that he would take the matter under advisement and that hell keep the issues in mind as lawyers question potential jurors when White goes to trial. Finch did advise the attorneys that seating a jury will be atypical in the case. He said that attorneys will be required to submit questions for potential jurors in writing well in advance of the start of the trial. He also said jurors would be selected from a larger pool and that three at a time be given questions rather than questioning all the jurors at once. Virginia firearm sales spiked in December after the San Bernardino, Calif., shootings that killed 14 people, boosting an overall 9.5 percent rise in Virginia gun transactions in 2015, newly released figures show. Estimated firearm sales based on mandatory criminal background checks of gun buyers rose from 405,838 in 2014 to 444,627 last year, according to Virginia Firearm Transaction Center figures. That total is second only to 2013s record year of 479,253 transactions. Decembers total of 70,626 transactions is the highest for the month of December since 2012, when 75,120 transactions were recorded. The 2012 record occurred after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 children and six adults, and prompted calls for increased gun control. A similar phenomenon appears to have occurred this past December in Virginia after the Dec. 2 San Bernardino attack that killed 14 and wounded 22 after the perpetrators targeted a San Bernardino Department of Public Health training event and holiday party of about 80 employees. President Barack Obama and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe have been among those calling for tighter firearm restrictions that gun rights groups have decried. Gun transactions increased every month but two from 2014 to 2015 and rose most significantly in December, jumping 46 percent from 48,428 transactions in 2014 to 70,626 last year, figures show. Last years 9.5 percent rise in gun transactions followed a 15-percent drop in 2014 that ended three consecutive years of steep growth statewide. Those increases were fueled in part by the buying that generally follows high-profile shootings and calls for increased gun control as a response, criminologists say. Exact sales of firearms in Virginia are neither reported nor recorded, but the background check records provide a rough estimate of the number of firearms sold. There is not a one-to-one correlation between background checks and the number of guns sold because some customers buy multiple firearms. Also, about 1 percent of the background checks in Virginia typically result in people being denied permission to buy a weapon. The background checks also do not reflect activity between private parties, such as family members or collectors at gun shows. Images: Gala Tent Founded in 1999, Gala Tent has grown to sell over 15,000 tents and marquees each year, along with around 100,000 event accessories and furniture products. It grew from a table top operation in Grimethorpe to a company with a turnover of 10m having moved into new 53,000 sq ft headquarters at Fairfield Park in Manvers in 2011.Having entered into a financial partnership with HSBC in 2012, the bank continues to back Gala Tent's growth plan and has also provided a further 1m facility, enabling the business to immediately hire six new employees to support the latest premises, with further local jobs to be created in the area.An equipment finance facility of 250k has helped Gala Tent invest in state-of-the-art equipment, making it the first and only UK business to be capable of printing high definition images and graphics on marquees. This investment will allow Gala Tent to upgrade its manufacturing process.Other aspects of the finance package include foreign exchange and electronic banking facilities, which are primarily used by Gala Tent to sustain its import activities.Jason Mace, founder and managing director at Gala Tent (pictured left), said: "Our partnership with HSBC has helped us realise our expansion plans, while enabling us to hire new talent. From investing in more sophisticated technology to demonstrating credibility to global suppliers, our partnership with HSBC has been instrumental at every step of our growth."Mike Swift, head of corporate Banking in South and West Yorkshire at HSBC, added: "Gala Tent is a market leader in its field and is actively expanding its range of operations, products and services. It is a growing business with ambitious plans, and we are pleased to be part of this exciting period, supporting its growth."Further plans include developing the export side of the business. A set of websites were created by the Gala team and taken on by overseas distributors with their own warehouse space who could then translate them and do the selling in return for exclusivity.Eleven distributors are in place in the EU, along with one in Iceland.At the end of 2015, the award-winning company revealed that Sir David Richards, chairman of the FA Premier League and former chairman of Sheffield Wednesday (pictured, right), had invested in a Gala Tent. As the third largest transportation agency in the nation, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) is responsible for transporting millions of passengers safely and efficiently to their destinations every day. Additionally, the agency manages one of the largest public works projects in the nation with three major rail lines currently being constructed and another two rail extensions near opening. LACMTA said that it has made substantial progress this year with some of its major milestone including: Metro Rail celebrated 25 years of service. The Metro Rail system began operation in July 1990 with the opening of the Blue Line and has since expanded to six rail lines spanning 87 miles with approximately 103 million rail passenger boardings annually. Initiated the process for regional collaboration in the development of a potential ballot measure and secured passage of Senate Bill 767 that would allow LACMTA to seek an additional sales tax via ballot measure to potentially fund projects in LACMTAs Traffic Solutions Plan. Published the first annual report to the community in an easily digestible format to increase public awareness of the many programs overseen or underway at LACMTA. Secured funding for the Purple Line Extension and the Regional Connector and advanced the construction of Crenshaw/LAX, Purple Line Extension and Regional Connector. The Gold Line Foothill Extension to Azusa reached construction substantial completion and an opening date of March 5, 2016, was announced. Meanwhile, the first train cars in more than 60 years passed through West L.A. and downtown Santa Monica as testing for the Metro Expo Line Phase 2 to Santa Monica began. Launched a trio of campaigns to enhance safety and security on the Metro system, including the Its Off Limits anti-sexual harassment campaign, a campaign to increase awareness of human trafficking, and invested in new security kiosks and state-of-the-art mobile security towers. The Metro Board appointed Phillip Washington, the former chief executive officer of Denvers RTD transit agency, as LACMTAs new CEO. Launched the Business Solution Center and Business Interruption Fund programs to assist businesses in areas impacted by construction. The first businesses to receive assistance were located near the Crenshaw/LAX project. All 26 regional transportation agencies in L.A. County joined the TAP system. The milestone signified that all municipal transit agencies in L.A. County accept TAP as universal media and passengers are able to transfer to bus or train from any transit provider. In addition to these accomplishments, LACMTA also developed a $5.6-billion budget with no fare increases or any cuts to bus service hours for the fiscal year 2016. And to help improve the rider experience, LACMTA worked with Google to provide real-time bus and train information in the companys Google Maps application. LACMTA, with safety on its mind, installed protective barriers, passenger-facing video monitors. The agency also secured a $38.4-million state grant to make safety and other enhancements at the Blue and Green Line Willowbrook/Rosa Park Station. Carrying forward on the progress of 2015, anticipation is extraordinarily high for 2016, notes LACMTA. There will be two new rail extension openings resulting in 18 more miles of rail, construction on LACMTAs three major rail projects are expected to continue and intensify and the agency will potentially seek out funding for additional projects from multiple sources. Milestones the agency is looking forward to in 2016 include: The Gold Line Foothill Extension to Azusa is set to open on March 5, 2016. The extension will add an additional 11.5 miles and six new stations to the existing Gold Line that currently runs from East L.A. to Pasadena. The opening will coincide with the launch of express bus service that will connect the Gold Line in Pasadena to the Metro Red and Orange Lines in North Hollywood. The Expo Line Phase 2 to Santa Monica is also expected to open in the first half of the year. The extension will add seven stations and 6.6 miles to the existing Expo Line that currently runs from downtown L.A. to Culver City, extending the line to downtown Santa Monica and only steps away from the Santa Monica Pier. Construction will continue for LACMTAs three major rail projects. The Crenshaw/LAX project is expected to reach 50 percent construction completion. Both the Crenshaw/LAX and Regional Connector projects anticipate the beginning of tunneling that will be performed by multi-million dollar tunnel boring machines. The Purple Line Extension Segment 2 will seek a full funding grant agreement from the federal government to provide critical funding to pave the way for major construction on the 2.6-mile segment of the new line between La Cienega and Century City along Wilshire Boulevard. LACMTA will continue to educate the public on how the agency can further ease traffic sooner rather than later through a potential ballot measure for the November 2016 election. LACMTA may seek an additional half-cent sales tax and look to extend the Measure R half-cent sales tax until 2057 to fund more projects sooner rather than later. The LACMTA Board will decide in late spring/early summer whether to put the measure before voters in November. The agency will hold the first ever Industry Forum on February 11 to garner industry participation and potentially forge financial partnerships on LACMTA projects from Fortune 500 executives and companies. Indian shares look set to open lower on Monday, tracking subdued Asian cues. The terror attack on the Pathankot airbase may also weigh on investor sentiment. Heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists on Sunday attempted to storm the Air Force base in Pathankot, triggering a day-long gunbattle in which at least four attackers and seven Indian soldiers have died so far. Asian stocks traded mostly lower this morning even as energy stocks rallied on higher oil prices. Crude prices jumped about 3 percent in Asian deals after Saudi Arabia decided to cut off diplomatic relations with regional rival Iran in response to the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. The benchmark indexes in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan were down 2-3 percent. Amid lack of fresh cues from the U.S. and Europe, investors look ahead to manufacturing PMI readings from China, South Korea and Singapore due out later in the day for further direction. Close home, the benchmark index Sensex rose over 300 points or 1.24 percent to close above the psychological 26,000 level last week and the Nifty index gained 1.29 percent to settle at 7,963.20 as crude prices fell, rupee stabilized and foreign investors resumed buying. Markit Economics will unveil the outcome of a monthly survey on India's manufacturing sector for December later in the day, while the PMI reading on the services sector is slated for release on Wednesday. Meanwhile, India has emerged as the world's fastest growing notwithstanding global demand slowdown and four droughts, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian tweeted. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Science and its advances have time and again established their inevitability to mankind and a recent development cannot but vouch for the fact. For the first time in the U.S., a 14-year-old boy named Dallan Jennet who had disfigured his face after falling on a live power line, successfully underwent a nose transplant using 3D printing . Until now, doctors in the U.S. had not been able to restore the nose to its full functionality, even as reconstructive surgery on the body part is not uncommon. Jennet is from the Marshall Islands, near the equator in the Pacific Ocean. He fell onto a live power line at the age of 9, which left him with a severely burnt face and the loss of his nose. Last year, he came to New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York, to undergo multiple surgeries to restore sense of smell and taste. In early 2015, doctors input expanders under the remaining skin of his nose to provide space for the reconstructed body part. Many surgeries followed, and the doctors created Jennet's 3-D nose graft by replicating the structure of his family's noses. They inserted the graft, and reconstructed the skin over the 3-D implant. The 3-D printed implant will grow with Jennet, which will prevent the need for additional reconstructive procedures. A California-based nonprofit Canvasback Missions Inc. funded Jennet and his mother's travel and medical expenses to New York. The doctors collaborated with Oxford Performance Materials Inc, a Windsor, Connecticut-based 3-D printing company. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Editors Pick Investment banking major Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) reported Tuesday that net profit for the third quarter declined 44 percent from last year, reflecting a 12 percent drop in net revenues, 17 percent rise in operating expenses and higher provisions for bad loans. However, earnings per share and quarterly revenues topped Analysts' estimates. Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM), announced the launch of a new dish, Pizza Hut Melts, aiming to provide more individual meal-time options. The company said it is entering the handheld category with Pizza Hut Melts, which is cheesy, crispy, loaded with toppings, and served with a dip. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has awarded 19 new grants and two new contracts totaling more than $38 million in funding mainly to develop medical products to treat rare diseases. The funding over the next four years will support clinical trials, natural history studies and regulatory science tools related to rare diseases, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. Shares of Metso (MXCYY.PK) were declining around 4 percent in the early morning trading in Finland after the Finnish maker of rock crushers said it will reduce a total of 44 positions, mostly in Tampere, following the conclusion of employee negotiations in its Minerals in Finland. The original estimated reduction need was approximately 75 jobs. The concluded employee negotiations are part of Metso's transformation in to a more focused company with leaner and more agile operating models to drive growth and profitability. Metso said it will also continue temporary lay-offs in its Minerals operations in Finland during 2016. The number and duration of the temporary lay-offs depends on the work load and the volume of orders received and may affect all personnel groups. Markku Simula, Head of Metso's Aggregates business line, said, "Our order volumes are affected by the market downturn in the minerals industry. The decisions that have now been made are necessary in order to maintain our competitiveness and achieve our financial targets. We need to increase the efficiency and productivity of our operations." Metso is helping the personnel affected by the lay-offs through its employment support program, which offers assistance with re-employment and possible relocation support. Currently, Metso has a total of 1,755 employees in Finland, with 725 of them employed in the Minerals business. Metso shares were trading at 19.80 euros, down 4.35 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News German employment growth, which has lasted over a decade, continued in 2015 with the number of those with jobs setting a reunification-high, largely helped by a resilient and immigration of foreign workers. The number of residents in employment rose by 324,000 persons or 0.8 percent to 43 million last year, provisional data from Destatis showed Monday. The pace of increase slowed slightly from the 0.9 percent registered in the previous year. Employment grew for a tenth consecutive year since stagnation. Higher labor force participation of the domestic population and the immigration of foreign workers offset negative demographic effects, the agency said. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed fell by 140,000 persons or 6.7 percent to 1.95 million. The figure fell below 2 million for the first time since the German reunification. The ILO unemployment rate declined to 4.3 percent from 4.7 percent, which was just below the EU average rate. The active labor force, combining those employed and unemployed, grew by 184,000 persons or 0.4 percent to 44.9 million. The number of employees resident in Germany increased by 421,000 or 1.1 percent to 38.7 million. Further, the number of persons whose place of employment was in Germany exceeded 43 million for the first time. The figure rose by 329,000 or 0.8 percent from the previous year. The difference between the number of persons in employment who are resident in Germany and the number of those whose place of employment is in Germany can be explained by the balance of non-residents working in Germany and residents working abroad, Destatis said. The number of non-residents working in Germany exceeded the number of residents working abroad by 68,000 persons. According to a newspaper report last week, Germany took in more than a million refugees in 2015, five times greater than last year's figure, and the biggest since reunification in 1990. Policymakers are yet to assess the economic impact that the migration has on the euro area economy, though some German lawmakers see the rising number as a blessing to tackle the skills shortage and a labor force shrinkage in future. Germany has thus far welcomed the maximum number of migrants than any other EU state. In December, the Bundesbank said the German labor market will experience shortages to a growing extent, driving up wage increases, despite the expansionary effect which immigration is having on the labor supply. The Federal Labor Agency is set to release the labor market figures for December on Tuesday. The number of those claiming jobless benefits is forecast to drop by 8,000 from the previous month and the unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at a record low 6.3 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Uber has shut down its office in Frankfurt, Germany after just eighteen months of operations. However, the ride-sharing service has not completely withdrawn from Germany, and continues to operate licensed services in Berlin and Munich. In early November 2015, Uber retreated from Frankfurt, which has a population less than that of Uber's hometown of San Francisco. Uber's low-cost service UberPop, similar to UberX in the U.S., had relied on unlicensed drivers. But Uberpop faced legal challenges and was banned in March 2015 by a German court from running services using unlicensed cab drivers. Germany has tough transport rules that involve security checks, exams and state-issued licenses for all taxi operators. Uber also pulled out of the German cities of Hamburg and Dusseldorf last year, after less than two years of operations in those cities. In early 2014, Uber arrived in Frankfurt by hiring primarily unlicensed drivers, who had not passed the exams and health checks required of licensed drivers. In addition, the company's discounted rates that were about one-third cheaper than those of the city's licensed operators met with stiff opposition from German trade associations. Taxi Deutschland, a German taxi operator group, filed a lawsuit against Uber in mid-2014, claiming that the company's drivers did not have licenses to operate nationwide. In March 2015, a Frankfurt judge ruled that all Uber drivers must hold official licenses to operate. Uber then tried to hire licensed operators, but received a cold response from them. The company then shut down UberPop nationwide in May. Uber now only offers licensed taxi services in Berlin and Munich. UberPop service has also been banned in other European countries, including France, Spain, Italy and Belgium. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Flavonoids or phytonutrients in cotton petals are expected to improve memory in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in China have been trying to find out the positive impacts of the flavonoids and the animal models have yielded promising results. Now they have initiated clinical trials to prove that. Naturally aged mice showed some improvement in memory when flavonoids from cottonpetal were given. The scientists are trying to replicate the same chemical structure in tablets. Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry said they are pursuing the positive impacts of cotton petal flavonoids since 2003. Flavonoids can protect the human cells from free radicals and can reduce inflammation. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News After sitting on the sidelines for much of last year, former President Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail in support of his wife and Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton on Monday. In his first solo campaign appearance in New Hampshire, Clinton praised all that his wife has accomplished despite facing the challenge of sexism. "I do not believe in my lifetime, anybody has run for this job at a moment of greater importance who was better qualified by knowledge, experience and temperament to do what needs to be done now," Clinton said. The former president also referenced his wife's potential Republican rivals, suggesting that the rhetoric of some of the GOP candidates is "scary." "It's kind of scary this year, but believe it or not, most everybody actually tries to do what they say they're gonna do when they're running," Clinton said. "They are telling you what they believe." He added, "So, you gotta take 'em seriously, but you also have to take seriously whether they have any chance of doing what they say they're gonna do or any record of doing it." Clinton's remarks were seen as a veiled shot at Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who has recently attacked the former president's past sexual infidelities. The former president also repudiated Trump's proposal to ban Muslim immigration into the U.S. as part of an effort to fight terrorism. "It's very important that we stand against terrorists who try to abuse religion for any purpose in any religion to murder people," Clinton said. "But we don't want to run away from the place we've been." He added, "America is a place that welcomes all people who are willing to treat other people like they want to be treated, willing to follow the law." Clinton is a skilled politician but is also seen as a potential liability for his wife's campaign due to past allegations of sexual abuse. A local New Hampshire politician heckled Hillary Clinton at an event on Sunday, accusing her of enabling her husband to mistreat women. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Benefiting from their appeal as a safe haven amid a global stock market sell-off, treasuries moved higher during trading on Monday. Bond prices showed a strong move to the upside in early trading but gave back some ground going into the close. Subsequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, dipped by 2.4 basis points to 2.245 percent. The strength among treasuries came as stocks around the world fell sharply amid renewed concerns about the global . Chinese stocks showed a substantial drop on the day, dragging the Shanghai Composite Index down by 6.9 percent and triggering a trading halt. Disappointing manufacturing data contributed to the weakness among Chinese stocks, as a report from Markit and Caixin showed that their index of Chinese manufacturing activity continued to indicate a contraction in December. Treasuries also benefited from the release of some disappointing U.S. data, including a report from the Institute for Supply Management showing a continued contraction in manufacturing activity. The ISM said its purchasing managers index edged down to 48.2 in December from 48.6 in November, with a reading below 50 indicating a contraction. The modest drop came as a surprise to economists, as the consensus estimate called for the index to inch up to a reading of 49.2. With the unexpected decrease, the manufacturing index dropped to its lowest level since hitting 45.8 in June of 2009. A separate report from the Commerce Department showed an unexpected decrease in construction spending in the month of November. Amid a quiet day on the U.S. economic front, trading activity on Tuesday may be somewhat subdued as traders look ahead to key reports due later in the week. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis The newest guidelines set out to make school lunches healthier are having the desired effect, according to a new study from researchers at the School of Public Health at University of Washington. For the study the researchers examined the differences made by changing school lunches in three middles schools and three high schools in Washington. They found that after the healthier lunches were introduced, kids in the schools displayed higher levels of several key nutrients including calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, fiber and protein. "This is, in my mind, really verification that implementing these changes are first of all doable," said Donna B. Johnson, professor in the School of Public Health at University of Washington. "Our thinking was, if it's going to work for these older students who have more options, that's really a powerful statement." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Health News Highwoods Properties Inc. (HIW) announced after the close Monday that it has agreed to sell substantially all of its wholly-owned Country Club Plaza portfolio in Kansas City to a joint venture between Taubman Centers Inc. (TCO) and Macerich (MAC) for $660 million. The stock is now up 1.49 on 11K shares. Highwoods Properties gapped open lower Monday, but traded in a range throughout the session. Shares finished with a loss of 0.41 at $43.19. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Two IEDs dismantled in Hodaida HODAIDA, Jan. 03 (Saba) - A bomb disposal expert team managed on Sunday to defuse two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Hodeida province. People found the IEDs were planted inside al-Shaheed School in Bajel district and informed the security authorities, a security official said. Investigations are underway to identify those who are behind this crime, he added, praising the citizens' cooperation with the security authorities to stop crime before it happens. He also called on all citizens to quickly report any suspicious objects in order to maintain their lives and properties. HA/AF Saba Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Telegram Email Email Print Print [03/January/2016] Saudi aggression bombs Sabeen Hospital, Gas Company in Sana'a SANA'A, Jan. 04 (Saba) - The Saudi-led coalition bombed on Monday evening a number of civil areas and facilities in the capital Sana'a. The hostile warplanes launched airstrikes on al-Sabeen area, a security official in Sana'a said. The bombing caused serious damage to the al-Sabeen Hospital for Motherhood and Childhood and many nearby houses, he said, stressing that no casualties were reported. Moreover, the coalition warplanes struck at dawn on Monday the western side of the capital Sana'a targeting the Gas Company at Asser area. The capital's fire crew suffered for hours until putting out the fire set on the Company by the bombing, the official said. AF Saba Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Telegram Email Email Print Print [04/January/2016] Mallikarjun Kharge was on Wednesday elected as the new Congress President after he received 7,897 votes, while his rival Shashi Tharoor managed to sec ... Create good stuff. The rest will take care of itself. This post is outside my normal realm of attention, but I think it is nonetheless important for us to consider. For those of us who are... Quakertown, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/04/2016 -- Quakertown Mitsubishi is still in the holiday spirit with their ample selection of seasonal savings opportunities. The Mitsubishi dealership is offering Doylestown and its surrounding areas deals on popular models like the Outlander, Mirage and Lancer. With prices on these vehicles, Quakertown Mitsubishi has something for everyone. Families can lease the spacious 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage DE for $178 a month for 36 months at Quakertown Mitsubishi. Weekend warriors and others who embrace an active lifestyle can purchase a 2015 Outlander GT for as little as $29,729 that's a savings of almost 18% off the $36,205 MSRP or lease a 2015 Outlander Sport FWD at $229 a month for 36 months. Quakertown Mitsubishi is also offering deals on the tristate area's largest selection of Evos with their Sayonara 2015 Evolution Edition. Quakertown Mitsubishi accommodates any lifestyle with their vehicles and any financial situation with their Buy Here Pay Here program. Customers with bad credit or no credit can work with Quakertown Mitsubishi to set up a payment schedule that suits their income. Participants of Buy Here Pay Here make payments directly to Quakertown Mitsubishi because the dealership's lending partner provides their auto loans, not a bank. To learn more about these and other Quakertown Mitsubishi deals, like their $0 down, 0% APR for 72 months options, car shoppers can call at 888-419-2483 or stop by to speak with a representative. More information about the dealership's other services, like auto repair in Quakertown, PA, can be found on their website. About Quakertown Mitsubishi Quakertown Mitsubishi is a high-quality brand vehicle dealership that also conducts automotive repairs in Pennsylvania. Owning up to their motto "Our business is YOU!" the dealership is dedicated to serving the residents of Perkasie, Emmaus, Allentown and Bethlehem. Excellent customer service includes sales personnel who assist with financing options and technician experts who conduct vehicle services such as maintenance and collision. The dealership accepts Mitsubishi automobile trade-ins and sells pre-owned cars. Pricing is based on rebates and incentives and may change at any time without official notification. For more information about Mitsubishi vehicles, please visit their website at http://www.quakertownmitsubishi.com. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/04/2016 -- Home healthcare devices and services help the patients to be self-sufficient towards their health. This is been increasingly accepted by the patient population owing to its cost effective nature, less number of visits to hospital and patient comfort. The Latin America home healthcare market has witnessed significant growth in the past due to factors such as increasing number of patients diagnosed with chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiac disorders, respiratory diseases and others. At the same time, economic instability and reimbursement issues related to home healthcare services are the factors restraining the market growth during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020. Complete Report with TOC @ http://www.mrrse.com/latin-america-home-healthcare-market This report provides an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the Latin America home healthcare market on the basis of device types, services and the major Latin American geographies. In device types segment, the report covers different types of diagnostic and monitoring devices, therapeutic devices, medical supplies and home mobility assist devices that are used by the patients. Diagnostics and monitoring devices segment includes devices such as blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, sleep apnea monitors, pregnancy test kits, pulse oximeters, heart rate monitors, temperature monitors, pedometers and coagulation monitors. Therapeutic devices segment comprises insulin delivery devices, nebulizers, ventilators and CPAP devices, IV equipment and dialysis equipment. The home mobility assist devices segment is further categorized as wheelchairs, cranes and crutches and other mobility assist devices and medical supplies segment includes feeding tubes and syringes. The market size and forecast for each device type has been provided for the period 2012 to 2020, considering 2013 as the base year. The report also provides the compounded annual growth rate (% CAGR) for the forecast period 2014 to 2020 for each segment. Latin America home healthcare market, by services is segmented as rehabilitation services, respiratory therapy services, infusion therapy services, telehealth and telemedicine services and unskilled home healthcare services. The market size and forecast in terms of USD million for each service type has been provided for the period 2012 to 2020, considering 2013 as the base year. The report also provides the compounded annual growth rate (% CAGR) for the forecast period 2014 to 2020 for each segment. Geographically, Latin America home healthcare market is segment as Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and others. Additionally, market revenues of segments such as device types and services are estimated and forecasted for all the above mentioned geographies. The market size and forecast in terms of USD million for each geography has been provided for the period 2012 to 2020, considering 2013 as the base year. The report also provides the compounded annual growth rate (% CAGR) for the forecast period 2014 to 2020 for each segment. Inquiry on this report @ http://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/1319 The market overview section of the Latin America home healthcare market report discusses detailed qualitative analysis of the factors responsible for driving and restraining the growth of the home healthcare market and future opportunities are provided in the report. PESTLE analysis has also been done while estimating individual geographies in order to provide current as well as future status. A list of recommendations for existing as well as new entrants has been discussed in the study to help in decision making. The report concludes with company profiles of key players operating in various segments of the market. Each company profile includes business overview, financial overview, product portfolio, business strategies and recent developments of the respective company. Some of the prominent players in the Latin America home healthcare market that have been profiled in this report are Medtronic, Inc., Omron Healthcare, Inc., Phillips Healthcare, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Teleflex Corporation, Bayer Healthcare, ResMed, Inc., Praxair Technologies, Inc., GE Healthcare, Gentiva Health Services, Inc., Invacare Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Cardinal Health and others. Market players are profiled in this report on the basis of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies adopted by the companies to ensure sustainability and maximize profits and product portfolio, and recent developments. Request a Free Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.mrrse.com/sample/1319 About MRRSE MRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/04/2016 -- Magnetic field sensor is a device which is used for studying the field around electrical devices, coils and permanent magnets. These sensors were previously used only for direction finding or navigation by sensing the Earth's magnetic poles. However, the application of magnetic field sensors have expanded vastly as different industries have adopted a variety of these sensors to detect the direction, presence or strength of not only earth's magnetic field, but also from magnetized soft magnets, permanent magnets, vehicle disturbances and fields generated from electric currents. Demand for better efficiency and high sensing performance is fuelling the adoption of these sensors in various applications. The global magnetic field sensors market has been segmented on the basis of technology, types, applications and geography. A cross sectional study of the market broadly across four major regions has also been covered under the purview of the study. Complete Report with TOC @ http://www.mrrse.com/magnetic-field-sensors-market Many factors, such as surge in demand for these sensors in the automobile industry, increase in demand for consumer electronics and appliances and growing popularity of electronic compasses are driving the growth of overall magnetic field sensors market. Stringent government regulations across North America and Europe are encouraging the widespread adoption of energy-efficient and eco-friendly devices. Magnetic field sensors are one of the core components of these products. Therefore, increasing demand for power efficient and smarter electronic devices has significantly increased the demand the usage of these sensors over the last decade. Furthermore, the healthy economic growth of emerging markets such as China, India and Taiwan is also boosting the growth of the latest technologies, which is in turn, fuelling the demand for magnetic field sensors. The conjoint effect of all these trends and drivers is thus set to bolster the growth of the global market during the forecast period. Various government policies globally are setting standards for lower fleet-average fuel consumption and providing financial incentives for vehicle electrification, which is triggering the drive to reduce fuel consumption in the automotive sector. This in turn has resulted in the growing demand for electrified vehicles. The usage of advanced magneto-resistive sensors is anticipated to steadily increase in the field of electric drives. This is expected to offer potential growth opportunity to the global magnetic field sensors market. Moreover, emerging economies such as India and China, with their massive population are providing an enormous market for the new innovations in automotive sector. Rising awareness among consumers has given rise to favorable conditions for the consumer electronics market in Middle East and Africa. This in turn, is expected to further bolster the market growth of magnetic sensors. The competitive profiling of the leading players in the global magnetic field sensors market across four major geographic regions is also covered under the scope of the report. These include various business strategies that have adopted by the major players and the recent developments as per the secondary data available. In order to provide a competitive insight of global magnetic field sensors market, the market attractive analysis has been provided in the report. A comprehensive analysis of market dynamics that include the market drivers, restraints and opportunities is included under the purview of the study. Market dynamics are the distinct factors which exert an influence on the growth of a particular market and therefore help in studying the current trends of the global market. Thus, this report offers an inclusive study of the global magnetic field sensors market, along with providing the forecast of the market for the period from 2015 to 2021. Request a Free Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.mrrse.com/sample/1325 Some of the major players in the market are: Infineon Technologies (Germany), Allegro MicroSystems LLC (Massachusetts), Austria Microsystems AG (Austria), Honeywell International (U.S.), NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands), Asahi Kasei Co (Japan), Micronas Semiconductors Holdings AG (Switzerland), Melexix NV (Belgium) and Memsic Inc. (Massachusetts) among others. About MRRSE MRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies. Houston, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/04/2016 -- In an age where the concept of social corporate responsibility and being community-minded is alien to a number of businesses, Jet Spectrum a company that provides world class first service; Private Jet Charters, Cargo and First & Business Class Travel, recently took it upon themselves by putting smiles on the faces of several people in Nepal, helping them to have a great Christmas and one that they will never forget as long as they live. Headquartered in Switzerland, but providing a seamless way of chartering private flights to and from any destination in the world, going to Nepal to organise a Christmas Charity Dinner is an indication that the whole world is Jet Spectrum's community. A quick glance at the organisation's purpose reveals that it views charitable generosity not as an option but as a responsibility to the world.To know more about this, visit https://www.jetspectrum.com/2015/12/29/from-jet-spectrum-to-nepal-disability-centre-kathmandu-charity-for-christmas/?utm_campaign=pr02&utm_medium=press&utm_source=pressarticless Speaking about the event, Gavin Nathan, the Founder and Chairman of Jet Spectrum commented thus; "With 2015 coming soon to an end and the festive season of Christmas around the corner, myself and the team wanted to do something special this year. Our company mantra of 'every jet, every hour, every dollar, 20% goes to combating food and water shortages around the world' is at the core of our mission." "I remember saying to the team that being our first Christmas we should make a difference by giving back even though we have not officially launched yet. With our combined strengths and driven by our passion we were able to feed 60 kids and 22 adults on Christmas day at The Nepal Disability Centre Kathmandu" he added. Having being torn apart and experiencing loads of shortages due to series of earthquakes in Nepal, a member of the team had to travel to India to purchase cooking gas and supplies. Other volunteers also joined in making the occasion a memorable one, and worth mentioning is Mesh Hair by Adriana Moser. "We hope more businesses will join in supporting more of our events and help bring a little more joy to the world. Please contact us if you want to help and remember our mantra - every jet, every hour in the air, 20% of our profit goes to charity" Nathan concluded. About Jet Spectrum Jet Spectrum is a private jet charter broker providing a superior service through our network partners across the globe from Los Angeles to Hong Kong. Jet Spectrum steps into the new wave of aviation entrepreneurship with social responsible beneficence at the core of the business. We support various global causes but have a special focus on food, water and humanitarian relief efforts. To know more about Jet Spectrum and their services, visit - https://www.jetspectrum.com/ Media Contact: Jet Spectrum Name: Gavin Nathan Position: CEO Location: Houston Tel: 713-589-9542 Email: press@jetspectrum.com URL: www.jetspectrum.com/press A tuberculosis drug specifically designed for children combining sweet flavours and the correct dosage in a dissolvable tablet is expected to hit markets early this year, according to the TB Alliance, a non-governmental organisation. The tablets, which were developed through a partnership between the TB Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States government, are meant to improve drug regime adherence among children in the developing world. The drug is not new, but will be an improved combination of existing TB treatments such as rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide, specifically designed for children. Since the adult tablets were fixed drug combinations it meant redesigning the tablet according to the ratios [for children]. James Seddon, Imperial College At a conference in Cape Town, South Africa, in December, TB Alliance representatives told the audience that doctors and parents in many developing countries rely on crushing or splitting tablets with adult dosages when treating children with TB. This means drug dosage is difficult to control and many caregivers struggle to regularly administer the bitter-tasting, sharp-edged tablet fragments for the usual six-month course. Since the adult tablets were fixed drug combinations it meant redesigning the tablet according to the ratios [for children], says James Seddon, a paediatric TB researcher at Imperial College, London in the United Kingdom. Juliana Odindo, a Kenyan campaigner with Y+, a global network of young people with HIV, says the dissolvable drug is a huge improvement on her own treatments, which involved biting off small pieces of an adult tablet and swallowing them. It is great news that child-friendly TB medication is finally being made available so that children do not have to gamble with their dosages like I did, she says. The WHO estimates that around one million children fell ill with TB in 2014, and 140,000 died from the disease. However, only around a third of those who catch the disease are officially diagnosed and put on treatment, the organisation warns. According to Brenda Waning, head of global drugs at the Stop TB Partnership, drugs for children with TB make up a low-volume, low-profit market and are therefore not of interest for pharmaceutical companies. However, the partnership behind the child-friendly drug has pooled funding with UNITAID, an intergovernmental health initiative overseen by the WHO, to get the product to market. Manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical company Macleods, the drug is likely to be available early in 2016, the TB Alliance has said. Kenya, which has one of the highest burdens of TB, could be one of the first markets where the drug will be sold, according to Evaline Kibuchi, the TB manager at Kenya Aids NGOs Consortium. Our grassroots activists and civil society organisations have been advocating for child-friendly TB drugs over the last year, she told SciDev.Net, adding that the only challenge remaining is approval by Kenyas government. A new study into magma ascent by geoscientists at the University of Liverpool has found that temperature may be more important than pressure in generating gas bubbles which trigger explosive volcanic eruptions. In a paper published in Nature, researchers at the University's School of Environmental Sciences showed that as magma ascends in volcanic conduits, it heats up which can melt its crystal cargo and force the formation of bubbles. Importantly, they also showed that more bubbles are formed by heating than through decompression, which had been previously thought. The study, which combined field observation, interpretation of monitored data and controlled laboratory experimentations, provides a strong argument for the integration of temperature as a key control in volcanic eruptions models. Yan Lavallee, Liverpool Professor of Volcanology who led the research, said: "A good analogy to this is peanut butter: when it is too cold and viscous, we plunge a knife into it and stir to warm it up and make it more runny. With volcanoes, magma ascending in volcanic conduit also heats up and this helps them foam and erupt explosively." He added: "The fact that temperature may be more important than pressure in the generation of gas bubbles in ascending magmas is astonishing and requires immediate consideration from the scientific community. The fundamental nature of this thermal process will very likely find other important applications in earth sciences as well as in engineering in the years to come. " Understanding magma ascent is central to forecasting volcanic disasters. It is not possible to always successfully predict volcanic events due to the lack of complete knowledge of the signals leading to catastrophes. To reproduce the volcanic process, the researchers designed laboratory experiments to study friction in volcanic rocks. They found that friction causes a substantial amount of heat between two rocks which melts the rock and makes it foam. In the study, they were also able to show how the action of ascending magma can be understood using seismometers to monitor earthquakes and tiltmeters to measure ground deformation. Volcanic eruptions are often compared to uncorking a bottle of Champagne. Pop the cork out slowly and the wine bubbles up (foams), gas comes out and the wine settles. When it is uncorked rapidly, the cork shoots up in the air, followed by a messy splash of wine across the kitchen. These two opposite scenarios also occur with volcanoes which can erupt lava flows or explosively erupt fragmented bits of lava, including volcanic ash. It had been thought that the decrease in pressure experienced by magma as it ascends through the crust and erupts at Earth's surface, causes it to foam. This new work suggests that heating may be more important than decompression in controlling eruptions. Hawaii has welcomed not only the new year but also a new policy. Starting Jan. 1, 2016, the state has officially become the first in the United States to increase legal age smoking from 18 to 21. Hawaii has become the first state to increase tobacco sales to 21. This new law covers that consumers should be at least 21 years old to buy tobacco commodities including electronic smoking devices. Governor David Ige signed a new legislation last June to help address preventive smoking measures among adolescents. "We are proud to once again be at the forefront of the nation in tobacco prevention and control," the state's health director Virginia Pressler stated. And this initiative purportedly conforms with Hawaii being among the healthiest people in the country. Establishments that will be seen selling cigarettes and any of its kinds to adolescents below 21 years old can be penalized from $500 to $2,000, based on the new policy. And underage consumers caught buying or possessing these products are also subject to fines between $10 and $50, plus community service. To give time to adjust to the new policy, a grace period of three months is allocated. Instead of directly imposing fines and punishments, warnings will be issued first. The new law also enforces strict compliance on display of these products, for example, it requires all tobacco products to be placed behind or below the counter and displays should be locked in a cabinet or drawer with access given to employees only. In addition, the state has also incorporated e-cigarette smoking in its smoke-free laws. This means that Hawaii now forbids the use of e-cigarettes in places where smoking is not prohibited. As written in Acts 19 of the new law, people are protected from inhaling the harmful substances generated by e-cigarettes, tobacco products and other cancer-causing chemicals including formaldehyde, nitrosamines and metals. Based on research, of the adult smokers in the United States, at least 95 percent of them began smoking before 21. Although the Department of Health noticed a decline of smoking rates among young ones, a spike of e-cigarette use has been evident. While Hawaii is the first state to implement such policy, over 100 cities across the country including New York and Boston have already enforced it. A group of attackers admitted to hacking the BBC website to show that it is able to target the online activities of the Islamic State (IS) group as well. It has claimed that the recently performed hacking is a "test of its capabilities." Branding itself as the New World Hacking, the group was able to shut down the oldest and largest national broadcasting organization in the world on New Year's Eve. One of BBC insiders described it as a "disturbed denial of service" attack. BBC neither confirmed nor denied the said phishing activity, and its press office stated that it will not be giving any comments with regard to the issue. The recent hacking put down the site by flooding it with traffic it cannot manage. "Who is there to fight off online terrorists? The reason we really targeted [the] BBC is because we wanted to see our actual server power," the New World Hacking stated. It further admitted that the hacking was just a mere test, and it does not have any intentions to prolong the shutdown. Nicknamed as "Ownz," the group member told BBC News website's Leo Kelion that the New World Hacking was first organized in 2012. The group is composed of 12 individuals with eight men and four women. Ownz further revealed that aside from the BBC attack, they are also actively participating on campaigns against the Ku Klux Klan and are up to tracking IS social media accounts for the #OpParis efforts after the tragic Paris attack in November. The error on the BBC websites started at 07:00 GMT on Thursday. It did not only targeted the news agency primary site but also its associated services like iPlayer catch-up and iPlayer Radio app. On the microblogging site Twitter, #BBCDown co-trended with #HappyNewYear on Thursday morning. In response, the broadcasting house officially tweeted on its Twitter account and pointed the problem as a technical issue. It further affirmed readers that it is already in the process of working on the site to make it accessible again. After about three and a half hours, the site was back, but some pages took a bit longer to load than usual. At midday, BBC announced that its website is back to its normal operation and has extended an apology for the inconvenience. COLUMBIA, S.C. - The South Carolina Agritourism Association has launched its inaugural Passport Program. Throughout 2016, visitors to participating South Carolina farms can have a "passport" stamped to earn Certified SC prizes. Passports are available at any of the 44 farms taking part in the program. Visitors to the participating agritourism destinations should ask the owner/manager/farmer to stamp the passport, much like international travelers get their passports stamped. The more stamps received, the more prizes that are earned. FLORENCE NAMI of the Pee Dee, the Florence area organization of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, will offer its Family-to-Family education program, beginning Feb. 7 and continuing through May 1, from 2:30-5 p.m. on Sunday at Central United Methodist Church in Florence. NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 12-session education program for family, partners, friends and significant others of adults living with mental illness. The course is designed to help all family members understand and support their loved one living with mental illness, while maintaining their own well-being. The course includes information on illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other mental health conditions. Family-to-Family was designed and written by mental health professionals who have direct experience caring for a relative with mental illness. The program is taught by trained teachers who are also family members and know what it is like to have a loved one living with mental illness. The course balances education and skill-training with self-care, emotional support and empowerment. It provides information about schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and co-occurring brain disorders and addictive disorders. Basic information about medications commonly used to treat these illnesses and the side effects of these medications is presented. Skills which will be covered include coping skills, handling crisis and relapse, listening and communication techniques, problem solving and limit setting. The course employs role-playing workshops to help participants learn some of these skills. Family-to-Family also covers how to provide emotional support by understanding the actual experience of people suffering from mental illness as well as how to recognize and deal with the normal emotional reactions families have to the chronic worry and stress they face. In addition, the course covers how to connect with appropriate community services and community supports. It also promotes empowerment and advocacy to bring about better mental health services and fight the stigma and discrimination mentally ill persons often face. Advanced registration by Jan. 22 is required. For information or to register, call Lou Hanna at (843) 413-1500 or Robert Bowermaster at (843) 669-8714. E-mail inquiries can be sent to Hanna at lbhanna3@joimail.com or Bowermaster at unique_29506@yahoo.com. The appropriately named APL Guam called in Guam for the first time on 1 January arriving from the Japan as part of the Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service. Prior to calling Guam the 1,100 teu capacity vessel had called in Saipan. The maiden US-flag call in Guam had been expected to take place on 6 December 2015, however, tougher US Coast Guard checks on US-flagged vessels following the fatal sinking of the El Faro in October meant the start of the new service was delayed. From Guam the APL Guam will return to Yokohama to begin a regular two-week rotation, calling Guam, Saipan, Busan and Yokohama. With 75% of Guams inbound freight originating from the US mainland, the GSX service provides essential cargo shipments from the US mainland to Guam and Saipan, said John Selleck, APL gm Guam/Micronesia. Moreover, with the GSXs connections in Yokohama and Busan, we connect Guam and Saipan with the world through APLs global network. Zhoushan Intermediate Peoples Court said it has accepted a filing by Zhejiang Shipping Group regarding the bankruptcy of Wuzhou Shipyard, one of its subsidiaries. The latest case makes Wuzhou Shipyard the first state-backed shipbuilder to go bankrupt, as Chinas shipbuilding sector undergoes a severe recession. The local court has frozen the assets of Wuzhou Shipyard, which has accumulated debts of approximately RMB911m ($140.3m). Established in 2001, the Chinese yard started facing financial difficulties last year, according to a Caixin report citing a source. At present, Wuzhou Shipyard has yet to complete the construction of four ships, including one 2,500 teu boxship, two barges and one tugboat. The yard last delivered a 2,500-teu boxship to Shanghai Zhonggu Xinliang Shipping on 17 July last year. Leaving from Malaysias Port Klang the Malta-flagged vessel unloaded 3,800 containers at DP World London Gateway terminal as its first port of call in Europe, instead of Felixstowe as originally scheduled, on UASCs two-week AEC1 service. The vessel is now en route to Rotterdam. Delivered in August 2015, the vessel is one of a recent breed of A19-class ultra-large container (ULCs) vessels, with a total capacity of 18,800 teu. The line has four ULCs in its fleet and a further two on order. There are 74 vessels of 18,000-teu-or-above currently on order internationally. Measuring 400 m in length, with containers stacked 11 storeys high above deck and 23 across, UASC is claiming the vessel is the greenest in the world, according to coo of UASC Waleed Al Dawood. This voyage marks a very important milestone in our newbuilding and environmental sustainability program with this being the highest utilisation of our 18,800 teu eco-efficient class to date. The ships Master, Captain Spisak Andrezej and I, were able to wish each other Happy New Year whilst watching London Gateways port cranes unload four containers at a time using our quad-lift innovative technology. Trucks picking up containers are able to pick up faster and safer than ever before. Moore added, As we enter 2016 in full swing, we look forward to opening berth three in the summer. The start of 2016 is seeing record volumes moving across the port. Press Release January 3, 2016 Sen. Marcos Pushes Organic Farming Of High-Value Crops Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr. today urged the government to aggressively pursue programs to promote organic farming, particularly of high-value crops. Marcos aired the proposal as part of his call for safety nets meant to cushion the adverse impact on local farmers of the influx of duty-free commodities expected after the Asean Economic Community came into force last December 31. The Senator said that the government should not only provide assistance to small and medium-scale farmers who wish to produce traditional crops but also ramp up the drive to promote the shift to organic and high-value crops. "Shifting to organic, high-value crops could provide our small farmers the edge they need to compete with their counterparts in our neighboring countries as demand for organic food continue to increase worldwide," Marcos said. He noted that according to the market research company Organic Monitor, global market for organic products in 2013 reached $72 billion, with the United States as the leading market, followed by Germany and France. While the US was once a net exporter of organic food, increasing demands have outstripped the capacity of local suppliers so much so that reports said it now spends around $1 billion annually in imported organic food. Marcos noted that the High-Value Crops Development Act of 1995 already provides incentives and cheap credit facilities for the production of high-value crops in addition to available foreign funding for the purpose. "We can go a step further by promoting organic farming to increase the value and competitiveness of our agricultural products in the world market. As a bonus, going organic will help protect our environment," Marcos said. To be able to do this, Marcos said the government must provide funding assistance to farmers during the initial phase of the transition to organic farming when production output normally declines, tap cooperatives and organizations to share best practices in organic farm management. In addition to vital infrastructures such as irrigation, roads and electricity, Marcos said the government must also invest in modern post-harvest facilities to ensure a high quality of organic produce upon delivery to the market. Moreover, the Senator said the government must conduct an aggressive marketing campaign for our organic and high-value crops in the international market. Koko seeks the creation of San Pedro City as a separate congressional district Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III is seeking the separation of the City of San Pedro from the first legislative district of Laguna province to constitute a lone congressional district. Pimentel filed Senate Bill No. 3029 recently for the creation of the City of San Pedro as a separate district to commence in the next national and local elections. He said that a city may qualify as a legislative district if it has a population of at least 250,000 and the reapportionment is done within three years following the return of every census. The City of San Pedro has a registered population of 294,310 inhabitants as of the 2010 Census of Population and Housing. Moreover, the City of Santa Rosa is also a candidate for lone congressional seat with registered population of 284,670 inhabitants. Pimentel, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, said there is a gross disproportion between the current population of some local government units (LGUs) and the number of congressional districts. To illustrate the situation, he said the City of Binan with population of 283,396 has one legislative district and the City of Las Pinas with population of 552,573 has also only one legislative district. "This disparity shows that there is no equal representation and voice of the people in Congress," said Pimentel. He said to remedy the situation Congress may enact laws to create separate legislative districts once the population criterion is met. POE: CHARGE PERSONS SHOWN FIRING WEAPONS ON FACEBOOK Lambasting the irresponsibility of some gun owners, Sen. Grace Poe asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to immediately track down and criminally charge the persons who had the temerity to brag about firing their weapons during the New Year revelry on Facebook. Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Order and Drugs, said authorities should make an example of those who blatantly violate the law and put other people at risk of injury and even death. The PNP reported 61 stray bullet-related incidents during the holidays. "Time and again, people have made a woeful excuse of merry-making during New Year just to satisfy their desires to fire their weapons. This has to stop," Poe said. "Innocent people die from such irresponsible, insensitive and unlawful acts." Poe was reacting to videos posted on Facebook that show people indiscriminately firing not just pistols but even high-powered firearms during the New Year revelry. In some videos, usually lasting two minutes, some were seen taking turns firing a gun at a dangerous trajectory. "Our authorities should move quickly against these irresponsible persons, or else, they will never learn," Poe said. With social media, she said the PNP would not have a difficult time tracking down those seen discharging firearms in the FB posts. "We have to show we are really sincere in stopping the irresponsible use of firearms. These weapons are meant to protect not kill civilians," Poe said. Press Release January 4, 2016 Trillanes appeals to PNoy: Include AFP-PNP retirees in SSL4 Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV appeals to President Benigno S. Aquino III to include the retired members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and other uniformed services in the proposed Salary Standardization Law 4. Trillanes, principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2671 or the proposed SSL4, said that under his original bill sponsored in the Senate, the pension levels of the retirees will also increase along with the increase in the salaries of other government workers, consistent with Presidential Decree 1638 and Republic Act No. 8551. However, under the proposed Malacanang version, this provision, known as the indexation of military pension, was suspended due to severe budgetary constraints according to the Department of Budget and Management. The Congress was not able to approve the said bill before the session adjourned last December because the Senate version included the pensioners in the planned salary adjustment, while the House of Representatives decided to adopt the Malacanang version excluding them. Trillanes is expecting that the Malacanang will oppose the inclusion of the indexation provision in the SSL4, which could delay the law's implementation and would affect other government employees, the reason for Trillanes' appeal to the President. "We believe that the retirees of the AFP, PNP, and other uniformed services have earned it. They have risked their lives just to keep us safe, and to let us enjoy the fruits and blessings of democracy. So we believe that they deserve this indexation," Trillanes explained. In the P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016, P57.9 billion was included for the implementation of the first tranche of the SSL-4. An additional P9 billion would be needed for the indexation of military and police retirees in the first year of the implementation. Trillanes added, "These military and police retirees are now in the twilight of their lives. The government should show a little compassion, if not gratitude owing to the sacrifices they and their families have given over the years. I hope that Malacanang could see this issue in this light because the lives and welfare of our retirees are beyond any alleged budgetary constraint." Paul Sakuma/Paul Sakuma Photography A recreational drone possibly crashed into a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. overhead conductor Sunday evening, causing a power failure that lasted more than an hour in a small section of San Francisco. A witness, Scott Kurth, was working at his computer when he saw a flash of light and heard a loud pop on a power pole at the intersection of Peralta Avenue and Hampshire Street, in the northern corner of Bernal Heights. The power went out in 34 homes at 5:04 p.m, according to PG&E spokesman J.D. Guidi. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Franciscos public schools chief is staying put. Superintendent Richard Carranza said Monday he isnt going anywhere, despite persistent reports and rumors that he was courted heavily by Los Angeles Unified, the states largest district, and was among the top candidates for the job. I think Los Angeles is an incredibly important school district in the state of California, Carranza said in an interview. Theyve got a lot of good things happening. But, he added, Im just really happy with the work were doing in San Francisco. Carranza said hes proud of the success hes seen in the city, but has more on his to-do list, including a revamp of the always controversial student assignment system. Still, speculation about his departure was understandable, as the average tenure for a superintendent is about three years. Carranza has been on the job for 3 years and has spent a total of seven years in the district. It is an extremely political, very, very complicated role, Carranza said. Unfortunately (a long-term superintendent) is an anomaly, but I think its an opportunity (to do more) in San Francisco. Feeding minds, bodies Carranza said San Francisco is ahead of the curve in ensuring teachers have the training and support to teach the new Common Core standards. That preparation, he said, paid off in above-average test scores for the district. In addition, the district has worked to make certain that students have a safe and supportive place to learn, he said. That has meant paying for higher quality school food, allowing students to eat breakfast in the classroom and providing supper. Suspensions are down, with policies and procedures in place to help students see and correct bad behavior, rather than kicking them out of school. Making those kind of changes takes time, Carranza said. All of those things dont happen in one year or two years or three years, he said. But Carranza has in a short period made a national name for himself as a young superintendent, bringing a blue-collar, English-learner background, fluency in Spanish and a reputation for playing well with others. We recognize he is one of the top superintendents in the country, and we also recognize that he gets recruiting calls regularly, said school board President Emily Murase. Theres a lot of work to be done and we make a great team, so were just happy we can continue with the leadership in the district. Parent, teacher complaints Carranzas tenure hasnt been without tension. He was highly criticized for eliminating algebra classes in middle schools, which some parents saw as an assault on advanced students in the name of equity. The teachers union vocally opposed the superintendents effort to increase the number of Teach for America teachers, recent college graduates who sign up for a two-year stint. And there could be tough challenges ahead. Schools need more resources, teachers with better pay and training, and more teachers aides, said Lita Blanc, president of the United Educators of San Francisco. The big issues remain like the affordability crisis for (teachers aides) and teachers, she said. That's going to have to translate into serious dollars next fall when we (renegotiate) on salary. Los Angeles officials reportedly pressed hard for Carranza while searching for a leader with a proven record in urban education and an ability to restore trust and respect. The district is replacing Ramon Cortines, a former San Francisco superintendent, who stepped in last year as a temporary replacement for the more controversial and reform-minded John Deasy. Carranza was listed among the presumed top contenders, along with Fremont Superintendent Jim Morris and Los Angeles Unified Deputy Superintendent Michelle King. District officials said they expect to name a new superintendent this month. Next steps Now that Carranza has officially pulled his name from that list, he is looking at whats next in San Francisco schools. He said Monday he wants to see suspension rates fall further, along with time students spend out of class due to behavior. And he wants to take a broad look at the student enrollment process. Currently, siblings of students get first priority in school choice, and families living in census tracts where students post the lowest test scores get second priority, ahead of those in a schools attendance area. Carranza questioned whether the system is effective given that schools have become less diverse and the process leaves parents guessing where their children will go to school, despite an effort to address both concerns. I think its time for us to really re-examine our student assignment system, addressing both the lack of predictability and diversity in schools, he said. We do want to have predictability for our students and families as well. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Leafy greens jutted from paper bags on a playground picnic table as kids piled out of Berkeley's Malcolm X Elementary School on Wednesday afternoon. Parents grabbed bags of produce labeled with their names and the contents. PTA volunteer Rebecca Matthews distributed meat and dairy items from a cooler. They're all subscribers to Farmigo.com, a mashup between a food co-op and a farm's community-supported agriculture (CSA) boxes. The website lets customers place weekly orders of organic produce and artisanal food directly from scores of farms. Farmigo then packages and delivers the orders to pick-up spots. "We're able to collapse the food chain and create direct ties between consumers and farmers," said Farmigo CEO and founder Benzi Ronen, who coupled his tech background with his knowledge of kibbutz farms in his native Israel to start the company in 2009. Farmigo is one of many tech startups seeking new ways to connect consumers to farm-fresh goods. Its twist is to cut logistics costs by having customers form buying clubs - a kind of virtual food co-op - of at least 10 families, who pick up weekly orders from a central location. Each community's organizer earns a 10 percent rebate on orders, providing a way for schools, churches and nonprofits to raise funds, or for motivated consumers to make a little extra money. "We're doing economies of communities, versus the economies of scale like Walmart," Ronen said. The pick-up model lets Farmigo pay farmers 60 or 70 percent of the sales price - far more than they reap through other channels, he said. "We're asking the consumer to be part of the solution by starting or joining a community." Current model But that unique feature could also slow Farmigo's growth. The Brooklyn company operates in the Bay Area and New York, but aspires to go nationwide. Farmigo adopted its current model 18 months ago, after initially focusing on software to help farms manage CSA programs. The 30-person company has $10 million in venture backing. Its average order size has tripled to $45. Ronen won't comment on revenue or number of customers, but said it adds about 30 buying clubs a month. San Francisco's Good Eggs, which raised $21 million this month on top of $8.5 million in previous funding, also provides a virtual farmers' market for people to select farm items online, but has direct-to-door deliveries. The new funding will help it expand beyond the Bay Area and its pilot programs in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and New Orleans. Some reviews say Good Eggs' prices are higher than Farmigo's - but Farmigo's prices are similar to the slight premiums commanded at farmers' markets. "It's worth it because it supports the school PTA," said Malcolm X's Matthews, who puts in about 1 1/2 hours a week coordinating the orders. "Last year we made $2,700 from Farmigo." When it comes to variety, Farmigo has an edge over CSAs, which limit products to that week's harvest at a specific farm (a frequent CSA complaint is too many potatoes). "In context with the locavore movement, Farmigo is an interesting extension of the CSA model that's more attainable and approachable," said Brita Rosenheim, founder of Rosenheim Advisors, which does food-tech industry consulting. "It gives people the ability to control what they get, and also feel like they're supporting local farmers and getting high-quality organic foods." Niche status? She said it's too soon to say if the buying clubs/pick-up model will relegate Farmigo to niche status, adding that it may evolve its approach. "Delivery and distribution costs are so high that requiring a little extra effort from the consumer to pick up orders is an interesting hybrid," she said. "It's also a sociological experiment: Do people respond to this community aspect?" Farmigo's Ronen acknowledges that the pick-ups won't work for everyone. City dwellers, with the advantage of dense living, can still command home deliveries. But for those in the far-flung suburbs, door-to-door is a lot more expensive, he said. The field of online grocers is crowded with behemoths like Google Shopping Express and AmazonFresh, not to mention delivery options from Safeway, Walmart and Whole Foods. Instacart (which works with Whole Foods) sends personal shoppers to grocery stores. Most of those simply take the store model online. For farm-to-table connections, there are lots of startups focused on specific regions, Rosenheim noted, ticking off examples including FreshDirect, RelayFoods, Fresh Nation, Wholeshare and Mile High Organics. She thinks consolidation among them is likely as the space continues to heat up. For farmers, new channels that net them more money are a boon. "Farmigo is a small revolution," said Shankar Venkataraman, founder of Hillview Organics, which grows 50 types of vegetables and a dozen fruits on 23 acres in Vacaville. "It literally saved my business by buying from me." With Farmigo, he makes up to 65 cents for every $1 in orders, he said. Grocery stores, where multiple middlemen take a cut, leave the farmer with 20 cents for each $1. With restaurants, he sells wholesale, netting about 50 cents on that same $1 of produce. "As a small farm competing with industrialized organic farms, that makes a huge difference," he said. Farmigo e-mails him orders at 2 a.m., Venkataraman said. His workers start picking them at 6 a.m. and they're in a cooler by noon. He then delivers them to Farmigo's San Mateo warehouse. Customers get them within 48 hours of harvest. That quick turnaround from field to table, "can't be matched in freshness, flavor and quality," he said. "Organizations like Farmigo allow the small farmer to connect directly with the public." Donald Trump released his campaign's first television ad on Monday but there aren't any big surprises. He's going to build a wall and not pay for it, he's going to behead ISIS and he reiterates that he says the words "radical islamic terrorism" while some other politicians appearing in an ominous, grainy photograph (ahem, Obama and Clinton) do not say said words. From an operatic space epic to the shameful story of a South Texas internment camp, the best books of the year made readers think about the choices we make as individuals and as a society. Beyond such weighty proclamations, they were just darned exciting to read. FICTION Seveneves By Neal Stephenson HarperCollins, $35 In the first sentence of Seveneves, Neal Stephenson blows up the moon. Then, over more than 850 pages, he takes readers on a fictional journey with imperiled humanity that doesnt stop until a remarkable contact 5,000 years later. Seveneves is a novel with ambitions as big as the galaxy, but is ultimately about the people who are literally tasked with saving the human race. This is one youll find yourself thinking about long after turning the last page. Fortune Smiles By Adam Johnson Random House, $27 The fact that critics have compared Adam Johnson to Kurt Vonnegut, David Mitchell and George Saunders is enough to pick up both his novel The Orphan Masters Son, which won the Pulitzer Prize last year, and his story collection Fortune Smiles, this years National Book Award Winner. Then you read them and you are absorbed into worlds you never thought youd enter. Despite the lofty literary comparisons, its a safe bet that nobody could write so instinctively about a former East German prison warden or a pedophile abused as a child and make both characters interesting and sympathetic. Paradise Sky By Joe R. Lansdale Little, Brown, $26 East Texas writer Joe R. Lansdales Paradise Sky is both a sweeping Western epic on the scale of Lonesome Dove and an intimate look at the travails of African Americans in the post-Civil War American West. Its also Lansdale at his funniest and most energetic. Lansdale writes in a voice thats both raw and educated, with dialogue reminiscent of Elmore Leonard and Charles Portis. Thats what makes Paradise Sky addictive fun, even if youre not particularly fond of Westerns. The Visiting Privilege: New and Collected Stories By Joy Williams Knopf, $30 In Joy Williams short stories, humor and cruelty are crushed into a fine blend. A father says to a boy about his 10-year-old daughter: Jane will not have friends. Jane will have husbands, enemies and lawyers. The mental heat Williams stories give off places them at the far end of the Scoville scale. The Visiting Privilege is a 50-course, full-tilt tasting menu of misanthropy and guile. A Little Life By Hanya Yanagihara Knopf, $30 Hanya Yanagiharas doorstopper of a novel A Little Life, about the lives of four college roommates who remain lifelong friends, is a considerable achievement. Due to its exceptionally graphic depictions of physical abuse, sexual abuse and self-harm, and the way those depictions infect the narrative like a cancer, its one of the few pieces of art that deserves a content warning, even for adult readers. A Little Life feels simultaneously like essential reading and a book that its more than reasonable to reject. Loving Day By Mat Johnson Spiegel & Grau, $26 Mat Johnsons new novel, Loving Day, takes its title from an unofficial holiday, one his narrator likens to Mulatto Christmas. Its the observance of the Supreme Court ruling in Loving vs. Virginia, which in 1967 decriminalized interracial marriage in America. Johnson is himself the product of such a marriage his mother is black, his father is Irish white and the politics of his own racial mix is a topic he writes about with discernment and a rumbling wit. The Marchers By Mo H. Saidi Word Design Press, $24.95 San Antonio retired physician and poet Mo H. Saidi does something remarkable in The Marchers, his debut novel set against the backdrop of the 1979 Iran Revolution: he shows us a people who far from being the other are much like ourselves, with the same needs and desires. We cant help but get caught up in the lives of these characters, who face injustice and even savage torture in a closed society, but never lose their faith and hope. The Last Pilot: A Novel By Benjamin Johncock Picador, $26 In The Last Pilot, debut novelist Benjamin Johncock evokes the years of the United States ramp-up to the space program so skillfully, a reader can almost feel the sandblasted landing strips. For an English writer born in 1978, many years after most of the real-world events reflected in this novel, Johncock shows a fine grasp of the times and place. Hes earned his right stuff merit badge. Untwine: A Novel By Edwidge Danticat Scholastic, $16.99 Scholastic Press targeted Edwidge Danticats latest novel Untwine at readers 12 and older. But this tale of grief and resilience should appeal to people who love Danticats fiction for adults, too, such as Claire of the Sea Light. The story of Haitian twin girls, it recounts a sundering so painful it is like the chilling description in El Cid: como la una de la carne (like the nail from the flesh). But Danticat delivers with remarkable restraint, a Sade of prose who sings about heartbreak in the coolest of voices. From the Moon, Earth Is Blue By Wendy Barker Wings Press, $18 In her latest collection, San Antonio poet Wendy Barker writes poems that are evocative as frames for a museum of the mind, responding directly to five art works. There are a few riffs on colors, such as Apologia for Brown Least glamorous of pigments./The impressionists got rid of it. The final poem on Ellsworth Kellys 1960 painting High Yellow celebrates colors, and Barkers open mind accepts pure perception. Barker perceives natural mysteries with a fresh and imaginative approach. A remarkable book. Randoms By David Liss Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99 In San Antonio author David Liss YA novel Randoms, 12-year-old Zeke Reynolds is a devoted sci-fi geek. So he is understandably excited to learn that science fiction is actually fact. Aliens, starships traveling at the speed of sound and even lightsabers are all real. Randoms is a truly unique story, and it would be amazing to see it become something more like an animated series. Black-Eyed Susans By Julia Heaberlin Ballantine, $26 Eighteen years past, Tessa Cartwright became known as the only surviving victim of a serial killer. But new evidence suggests she IDd the wrong guy, about to be executed on Death Row. In her brilliant novel of suspense, Black-Eyed Susans, Texas writer Julia Heaberlin keeps her protagonist in constant, page-turning peril while also leading the reader down paths of thoughtful exploration into the worlds of child psychiatry, death-penalty law and forensic DNA. Lawyer for the Dog By Lee Robinson St. Martins Press, $24.99 For San Antonio author Lee Robinson, law and literature have been intertwined all her writing life. In her latest novel, she takes on a case that could easily have been the script for a silly rom-com film. But Lawyer for the Dog is the frequently funny and sometimes poignant tale of an attorney who is appointed by the court to represent a pet Schnauzer in a couples acrimonious divorce. A real-life attorney, Robinson said, Ive had cases hung up over issues seemingly much less important than a pet, so it wasnt a stretch for me to imagine that a couple might go to the mat over a dog. NON-FICITON, BIOGRAPHY Between the World and Me By Ta-Nehisi Coates Spiegel & Grau, $24 Written by Coates as a letter to his adolescent son, Samori, this book isnt simply about being black in the era of Black Lives Matter. Its about being black in the historical life of the United States of America. Its about the vulnerability of black bodies, from slavery to today. But the author does believe that an honest reckoning of our past can lead to something better. It is an ongoing struggle, but for this man who so loves his son and this world, its a struggle made beautiful by the act itself. Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS By Joby Warrick Doubleday, $28.95 Joby Warrick has a gift for constructing narratives with a novelistic energy and detail, and in Black Flags, he creates the most revealing portrait yet laid out in a book of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the founding father of the organization that would become the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL). A House of My Own: Stories From My Life By Sandra Cisneros Knopf, $28.95 Readers have waited a long time for A House of My Own, Sandra Cisneros newest book a collection of essays, letters and literary tributes. The reader time-travels chronologically over 30 years with Cisneros, who now lives in Mexico. With house in the title, we of course think of her famous purple house in King William. But Cisneros doesnt feel regret at leaving the purple house shed thought would be the last one shed live in, one of pure love that echoes in memory and story in this compelling new collection. My Unsentimental Education By Debra Monroe University of Georgia Press, $24.95 I wanted to be the angel in the house, Debra Monroe tells one of her students at Texas State University in her bold, brave and somewhat bawdy memoir My Unsentimental Education. Is that a New Age idea? the student asks. No, Monroe tells her, its an old idea. Growing up with June Cleaver on one shoulder and Gloria Steinem on the other, Monroe shrugs off her waitress uniform to eventually become a respected scholar and writer. Her memoir, full of humor, insight and premeditated sex, is a blunt reminder of how far weve come, and yes, how far we still have to go. Drinking in America: Our Secret History By Susan Cheever Grand Central, $28 In Drinking in America, Susan Cheever, a recovering alcoholic, looks soberly at Americas strange and sordid relationship with booze. For instance, while Lincoln watched a play at Fords Theater, his bodyguard was in a saloon next door. Drinking is a highly readable, in-your-face look at not only the destructive power of alcohol in America, but the strange way it shaped our history. The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin By Steven Lee Myers Knopf, $32.50 The New Tsar, by Steven Lee Myers, should be read first by President Barack Obama, who has the formidable task of trying to understand and interact with Putin for the remaining months of his term. Next on the list of readers should be any of the numerous geniuses (listening, Donald Trump?) who think they have a chance of succeeding Obama as U.S. president. Its that revealing a portrait; Meyers was a New York Times correspondent in Russia for seven years. Legend By Eric Blehm Crown, $27 Eric Blehms Legend is a story of extraordinary combat heroism centering on Army Sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient Roy P. Benavidez, a Texan who endured more than 30 bullet, bayonet and shrapnel wounds while rescuing fellow soldiers from a covert mission in the jungles of Cambodia. Its a fascinating tale of one mans fortitude, honor and will to survive in a war still yearning to find its rightful place in American history. Skyfaring By Mark Vanhoenacker Knopf, $25.95 The workaday life of an airline pilot may not seem the most exciting topic, but in the hands of writer and pilot Mark Vanhoenacker, Skyfaring launches reader imaginations. Vanhoenackers book takes airline flight beyond getting from point A to point B. The expansiveness of travel, the journey itself, is realized in Skyfaring. Even travelers weary of airline flights will find deeper appreciation and broader awareness of the total experience. Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock n Roll By Peter Guralnick Little, Brown, $32 Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records in Memphis, is frequently remembered for a single sound bite: If I could find a white man who had the Negro sound and the Negro feel, I could make a billion dollars! He seems cynical at best, racist at worst. In his beautiful and meticulous biography, Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock n Roll, Peter Guralnick goes out of his way to set that Negro feel comment into deep context. The essence of that context is that Phillips was anything but a cynic or for his era, at any rate a racist. The Train to Crystal City: FDRs Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and Americas Only Family Internment Camp During World War II By Jan Jarboe Russell Scribner, $30 San Antonio author and former Express-News columnist Jan Jarboe Russells exquisitely researched and thoroughly riveting The Train to Crystal City broke down a closed door of complicated American history. Crystal City, in the mid-1940s, was the site where more than 6,000 men, women and children of Japanese, German and Italian descent many who were American citizens were held prisoner in an internment camp and traded for more important Americans behind enemy lines. The New York Times named the book one of 2015s best. Its a tragic story, Jarboe Russell said. It was hard to write. sbennett@express-news.net iStock/Thinkstock(TEMIXCO, Mexico) -- A Mexican mayor is dead barely a day after taking office. According to BBC, Gisela Mota was killed when gunmen opened fire at her home in Temixco on Saturday. Hours before her death, she took her oath of office on New Year's Day. The 30-year-old was leftist and had previously served as a federal congresswoman, reports BBC. A motive for the killing is unclear so far. Temixco, in the state of Morelos, is about 60 miles south of Mexico City and home to issues with organized crime and drug trafficking. Mota had promised voters she would work to clean up the city. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. A mentally unstable man tried to torch himself on the busy streets of downtown San Francisco on Monday morning, officials said. The man, who was not identified, was trying to light himself on fire in a plaza in front of 1 California St., a bustling part of the citys Financial District along Market Street near the Embarcadero, around 9:30 a.m., said Officer Albie Esparza, a San Francisco police spokesman. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate An Oakland couple rented out their home on Airbnb for New Year's Eve to someone they thought was an older man from Chicago. Instead, they say, the renter turned out to be a teenager who threw an 18th birthday party and invited 200 of his closest friends. Reshma Vasanwala and Jim Santi Owen were notified of the party through a neighbor who saw a parade of teens and police coming in and out of house. "Next door neighbor texts me and says, 'There are 40-50 youths here throwing a party, they've been shouting for over an hour and there's 4 or 5 police out here," Owen told CBS5. The couple came home to find dirtied furniture, beer cans everywhere, cigarettes, broken glass and even blood stains on a wall. The person who rented the place returned and was arrested by police for vandalism. Owen told SFGATE that, as of now, he plans to press criminal charges and file a civil suit against the teen renter -- although officers told him 200 to 300 kids were found in the area following the party. "Obviously he's, as far as we know, ultimately responsible, but so are those 200 or 300 kids," Owen said. The cleanup of the house has taken two days, but there is still more work to be done. The couple is taking bids from contractors to fix damage to their floors, fence, walls and upholstery Owen said the teens smoked cigarettes, cigars and marijuana inside the home. The couple will also have to purchase new furniture for their home and are looking into a new security system, after a partygoer came back to their home. "At least one person came back at 6 a.m. that same morning and was trespassing on our property," Owen said. "We had to call 911, so it's been pretty nonstop." Airbnb told news outlets they banned the guest from their site and that they will work with the homeowners under their $1 million host guarantee. Owen said it took nearly 14 hours to receive a phone call from Airbnb about the situation, which made him frustrated. "It was an emergency, urgent kind of situation and it would've been nice to feel that they really had our back as all this was going on," Owen said. "We don't know for sure if they're going to pay, we'll have to see. They're communicating in such a way both to us and the press, that they will take responsibility, but we don't know that." The Oakland couple told ABC7 that they should have screened their guests more, but they don't plan on renting out their home again. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Des Moines, Iowa It's been a year of town halls and weekend forums and lunchtime meet-and-greets for those who would be president, with nights spent sparring in televised debates and endless days fundraising to pay for TV ads, direct-mail fliers and organizers to get out the vote. All of it is aimed at people like Jocelyn Beyer, a Republican from the small town of Sully in rural central Iowa, who says despite the many months of political clamor, she's only just now starting to think about her vote for the White House. "I can't say I've paid much attention," Beyer said. "The moral issues are what I focus on. If I had to vote today, I'd vote for Ted Cruz." While that's not a solid "yes" for the Texas senator, at least he's doing better with Beyer than he is with Brian Metcalf, a Republican from nearby Pella. Metcalf is thinking about Cruz, but also former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. That is, when he's spending any time thinking about the race. "Until now, it's just been noise," he said. "But I'd like to see someone with a Reagan-esque approach." For all the attention showered on early state voters in the past year by candidates, their unpaid volunteers and high-dollar admakers and, yes, journalists, too the truth is that what happened in 2015 was only the pregame show. The race for the White House starts in earnest this week as voters such as Beyer and Metcalf begin to tune in and the candidates try to win them over during a four-week sprint to the leadoff Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1. It's then that voters have their first say and push pundits, predictions and polls aside. "The race is still fluid," said Beth Myers, who managed 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney's campaign and supports Bush in 2016. "There's still a twist or two in this primary story that we don't know yet." Where to begin? It's easier to start with the Democrats. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont hopes an upset in Iowa and a victory in the New Hampshire primary a week later will dent the apparent inevitability of front-runner Hillary Clinton. Wins in the first two states for the former first lady, New York senator and secretary of state would all but cement her place atop her party's ticket. There is no such clarity in the Republican race. Despite shedding five candidates before New Year's Day, the GOP contest is an unpredictable mix of a dozen hopefuls with vastly different visions for the party and the country. Ahead now in Iowa is Cruz, who spent 2015 quietly building a traditional campaign organization and will kick off his month with a bus tour six days, 28 cities covering the state's most fertile ground for Republicans. While Cruz has edged ahead in preference polls of Iowa voters in recent weeks, nationally, he still trails the unquestioned political star of 2015: Donald Trump. The billionaire real-estate mogul has so far forgone the grind-it-out approach in favor of free media exposure and a few rallies a week in front of largely adoring crowds. "He says what everybody's thinking, and he's not afraid to say it," said Trump supporter Bill Kullander of Des Moines. Neither Cruz nor Trump will win the nomination with a victory in Iowa, but caucus-goers probably will deliver a verdict on whether several GOP candidates continue on to New Hampshire. Count Rick Santorum and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won the caucuses in 2008, in that group, and maybe retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, too. We've all watched the ads on television for BlackPeopleMeet.com and even seen the recent sponsored ads on Instagram for JSwipe, a mobile Jewish dating app. During the New Year's holiday a new dating site made its debut, WhitePeopleMeet.com, with a billboard along Highway 201 in West Valley, Utah. The massive ad features a happy couple, along with the cost of membership, a $4 fee. It appears only heterosexual matches are allowed on the site although there are no restrictions for individuals who identify themselves as married. The dating site's About Us section declares people of all races can join and also states they believe all people have the right to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Since the launch of the website the billboard has gone viral, and with its placement in a city that's 91 percent white, it has definitely turned some heads. NAACP Salt Lake branch President Jeanetta Williams claimed it to be "odd." "I just thought it was kind of strange they would put it in Utah," Williams told the Salt Lake Tribune. "A large population here is white. So you're going to put up billboards here so you can meet other white singles? Every day you can meet white singles." This is a billboard along SR 201 in West Valley City. What we know about it: http://via.fox13now.com/yT76M Posted by Fox 13 News on Thursday, December 31, 2015 When asked by Fox 13 News, many Utah residents were not happy about the billboard and even spoke out against it. "I have a lot of friends who are biracial couples and they're in love and they're happy," Kayla Lemmon told Fox 13. "I don't think we should have a dating site with only one race. I think it excludes someone who could be your soul mate and is a different color than you." Some Facebook users said they support the idea. Facebook user Joseph Takacs commented "You already 'Filter' when searching on any dating site based on preference of height, body type, hair color, race etc. This just removes one filter setting from the search. Am I racist because I am white and am not interested in dating an asian etc, or going out with a gay person? Wake up and grow up. Everyone in the world will discriminate against someone." Whether some may like it or not, it appears WhitePeopleMeet.com is here to stay. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Baghdad Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday and gave all Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave the kingdom, as escalating tensions over the execution of an outspoken Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia marked a new low in relations between the two Middle Eastern powers. The surprise move, announced in a televised news conference by Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, followed harsh criticism by Iranian leaders of the Saudi execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and the storming of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran by protesters in response. Al-Jubeir said that the kingdom would not allow Iran to undermine its security. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Saturday that Saudi Arabia would face divine vengeance for the execution of al-Nimr, a day after protesters ransacked the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. Saudi Arabia, which put the cleric to death in a mass execution of 47 men accused of terrorism-related offenses, fired back, saying Iran had "revealed its true face represented in support for terrorism." The heated rhetoric underscored the mounting tensions between the two powers, each of which considers itself the leader of the Islamic world and supports opposing sides in conflicts across the region. Setting off this round of recriminations was the execution Saturday of al-Nimr, a Shiite cleric from eastern Saudi Arabia who often criticized the Saudi royal family and called for Shiite empowerment. Al-Nimr had become a leader in Shiite protests, and the government accused him of inciting violence. Most of the reaction in the region to the execution broke cleanly along sectarian lines, with Shiite leaders in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and elsewhere criticizing the Saudis for killing a man they called a peaceful dissident while Saudi Arabia's Sunni allies applauded what they called the country's efforts to fight terrorism. Most of the 47 executed had been convicted of being involved with al-Qaida in a wave of deadly attacks in the kingdom a decade ago and included prominent leaders and ideologues. Four, including al-Nimr, were Shiites accused of participating in violent demonstrations in which demonstrators and police were killed. The BBC reported that one of those executed, Adel Al-Dubayti, had been convicted of fatally shooting Simon Cumbers, a journalist on assignment for the BBC in Riyadh in 2004. The attack also left a reporter, Frank Gardner, critically wounded. Most of the men were beheaded; some were shot by firing squads. Unlike most Saudi executions, those Saturday were not public. Outside the Middle East, some criticized the Saudi justice system and the mass execution, the largest in the kingdom in decades. Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary-general, said Saturday that he was "deeply dismayed" by the execution of al-Nimr and the other men after "trials that raised serious concerns over the nature of the charges and the fairness of the process." Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, the U.N.'s high commissioner for human rights, called the mass execution "a very disturbing development, particularly as some of those sentenced to death were accused of nonviolent crimes." Al-Hussein, a Jordanian prince, also questioned whether due process had been observed during the men's trials. In the United States, Benjamin Rhodes, President Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser, refused to comment specifically on the execution of al-Nimr but said the United States had been complaining to the Saudis for years about human rights issues. "We also would like to see steps taken by Saudi Arabia and other countries to reduce sectarian tensions in the region," Rhodes said. The European Union, which opposes the death penalty, said that al-Nimr's execution in particular "raises serious concerns regarding freedom of expression and the respect of basic civil and political rights." Yet calls for restraint went largely unheeded in the Middle East. "God's hand of retaliation will grip the neck of Saudi politicians," Khamenei said. "The oppressed scholar neither encouraged people to take armed action nor engaged in secret plotting," Khamenei said of al-Nimr. The Iranians did, however, appear to be taking steps to prevent the dispute from escalating further. Forty Iranians were arrested in the anti-Saudi mayhem a sign that the authorities were trying to contain public outrage. Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, Sunday also condemned the execution but said that the attacks on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and the Saudi Consulate in Mashhad had damaged Iran's reputation. "We do not allow rogue groups to commit illegal actions and damage the holy reputation of Islamic Republic of Iran," he said in a statement. "What happened last night in Mashhad and Tehran and collateral damages in Saudi consulate and Embassy is not acceptable and justifiable." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The state Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for Californians to vote in November, if the Legislature approves, on whether to urge Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution and overturn the Citizens United ruling, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns. The state justices had blocked a vote on the same measure initiated by the Legislature in 2014, saying it was not clear that California lawmakers had the power to put an advisory measure on the ballot. But in a 6-1 ruling Monday, the court said the Legislatures power to investigate issues includes asking the public for advice on whether to seek a nationwide constitutional amendment. The principles of a democratic republic generally permit representatives to inquire of the people on fundamental matters, even though the public vote would not be binding, Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar said in the majority opinion. She also noted that since 1849, the California Constitution has guaranteed to the people the right to instruct their representatives. Dissenting Justice Ming Chin said the state ballot was intended for electing representatives and making laws, not for voting on legally meaningless advisory measures. He noted that the court had ruled in 1984 that initiatives, placed on the ballot by the public, could not be used for advisory votes. Chin said the same restriction should apply to legislative ballot measures. The Legislature should not be permitted to hijack the ballot to serve its own agenda, Chin said. The ruling does not guarantee that the measure will be on the November ballot. Legislators approved the bill calling for a ballot vote in 2014, which the court then blocked, and would have to pass another bill calling for a vote this year. Gov. Jerry Browns support is not guaranteed, as he declined to sign the 2014 measure but allowed it to move ahead without his signature. A lawyer for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the conservative group that challenged the ballot placement, said he hoped lawmakers would refrain from cluttering up the ballot with an advisory measure. It looks like the 2016 ballot will have at least a dozen important initiative and referendum measures, all of which deserve voters attention and focus far more than a nonbinding question, said the attorney, Thomas Hiltachk. But supporters of the proposed ballot measure said they were confident that voters would be able to consider and approve it and send a message to Congress. Californians will now have a chance to remind members of Congress who they work for by instructing them to get big money out of politics and to start listening to ordinary voters, said Derek Cressman, a former candidate for California secretary of state and manager of the short-lived committee for the proposed 2014 ballot measure. Citizens United, a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in January 2010, said the rights of corporations and labor unions to spend money on federal political causes was protected by freedom of speech. The California Legislature, and several others with Democratic majorities, have already urged Congress to call a constitutional convention to consider an amendment to overturn the ruling. The proposed ballot measure would instruct Congress itself to pass the amendment declaring, among other things, that money is not speech and submit it to the states for ratification. Such public expressions, though not legally binding, can be effective, Werdegar said in Mondays ruling. She said California lawmakers asked the voters in 1891 whether U.S. senators, then chosen by the Legislature, should instead be elected by the people, and 93 percent voted yes a step, Werdegar said, toward eventual national ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913. The case is Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association vs. Padilla, S220289. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko Online: To read the ruling: http://bit.ly/1Jq1T2N. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Santa Cruz County is a pioneer in organic agriculture, with trendsetting organic farms, restaurants and specialty foods. But even here, in the alternative heartland, organic vineyards are few and far between. Only 40 acres of Santa Cruz County wine grapes, about 6 percent of vineyard acreage, are certified organic, according to crop reports. Even the farmers who tend them say the practice defies economic sense. Unlike most organic produce, certified wine grapes do not often bring a higher price than conventionally grown fruit. While this is also true elsewhere, Santa Cruz growers view this as the result of a lingering association with organic wine, which rather than being a premium product was once associated with flawed, hard-to-drink wines. While any wine can be made with organic grapes, a by-the-book "organic wine" must be made without the addition of the preservative sulfur dioxide. They have become a vanishingly small segment of wine production. "There's a stigma around organic wines," said Bradley Brown, who grows 10 acres of certified organic Rhone-native varieties at Big Basin Vineyards, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains. "But organic grapes and organic wines are completely different things, and many people are confused about this." Considering the embrace of organic farming in other wine regions - in organics-friendly Mendocino County, for instance, more than one-quarter of vineyards are farmed that way - such confusion might be open for debate. But vineyard land is scarce in the Santa Cruz Mountains and farming costs are high. Without a price premium for grapes, and given the extra costs for organic production and often lower yields, organic wine grapes are an expensive proposition. "I understand why people don't do it," said Richard Alfaro, who grows both certified organic and conventional grapes at his Alfaro Family Vineyards in Corralitos. "Growing organic is a huge commitment and risk." Cool, moist conditions in the Santa Cruz area produce interesting and nuanced wine grapes, Alfaro said. But the moisture is a double-edged sword. "Because of the ocean influence, we're very susceptible to botrytis and powdery mildew," Alfaro said. "We get fog, big temperature swings, and the vines are often dripping wet in the morning." Organic farmers are allowed to use approved fungicide sprays, but the products are more expensive and don't last as long as systemic products used by conventional growers, which are sucked into the plant and linger in its tissues. "The organic product might last a week, and the conventional spray probably three weeks," Alfaro said. "So when you're battling an outbreak you're paying for three times the tractor use, three times the amount of chemical, three times the labor. Not everyone can afford to do that." Weeds are another deal-breaker, according to viticultural consultant Prudy Foxx, who works with more than 30 clients in the area. "Weed control is actually a really big concern," Foxx said. "I would say that herbicides are the No. 1 product used on vineyards preventing them from being organic." Brown, Alfaro and Jerold O'Brien of Silver Mountain Vineyards outside Los Gatos use all of their organically grown grapes in their own estate wines, though only O'Brien mentions "organically-grown grapes" on the label. None of them produce organic wine. "I bottle the wine from my organic grapes separately," Alfaro said. "It's not labeled, but is in fact all separate from the noncertified grapes. I want to see if my organic vineyards seem healthier, and the vines seem healthier, and to see if they make better wine." By stripping down the agricultural inputs and relying more on natural vineyard treatments, organic winegrowers hope to isolate the flavor characteristics that make the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation unique. "The Europeans believe that organic allows wine to truly express its origins," Foxx said. "Whether you like a wine or not, if it truly expresses its place of origin, you've succeeded." Since financial incentives aren't a factor, Santa Cruz growers who invest in organic certification - which can cost several thousand dollars - are driven by personal convictions. "My vineyard is organic and certified because of my personal philosophy," O'Brien said. "I believe in living my life in harmony with Mother Nature. That is my bottom line." O'Brien's mountainside vineyard of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay has been organic since he began planting in 1980, and he is fiercely proud of his organic status. O'Brien also claims to operate "the most sustainable winery operation anywhere," with a naturally cooled artificial cave for aging, gravity feeds instead of pumps, and the largest solar array in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which doubles as a rainwater collector feeding a 45,000-gallon cistern. Bradley Brown's commitment to organics similarly transcends economics. His mother and sister were both diagnosed with breast cancer, which he attributes to man-made toxics in the environment. He buys organic food for his family, and is convinced that the rest of the winemaking industry will eventually recognize the necessity, and superiority, of nontoxic farming. "I am personally committed to organic," Brown said. "And I'm absolutely convinced that organic methods will produce healthier vines, better grapes and wines of greater character." Chronicle wine editor Jon Bonne contributed to this story. Narinder Nanu/AFP / Getty Images PATHANKOT, India Indian troops were still battling at least two gunmen Sunday night at an air force base near the border with Pakistan, more than a day and a half after the compound came under attack, a top government official said. At least seven troops and four gunmen have been killed in the fighting so far. The two suspected militants were discovered shortly after noon Sunday and hours later appeared to have been cornered, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said. HONG KONG Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers said Sunday that they will press the government for answers after a fifth employee of a publishing company specializing in books critical of mainland Chinas leadership went missing. Lawmaker Albert Ho said the city was shocked and appalled by the disappearance of Lee Bo. Like the four others who have disappeared in recent months, Lee is associated with publisher Mighty Current. While theres been no official word on what happened to the five, Ho said it appears their disappearances are linked to the publishing companys books. From the available information surrounding the disappearance of Mr. Lee Bo and his partners earlier, we have strong reason to believe that Mr. Lee Bo was probably kidnapped and then smuggled back to the mainland for political investigation, Ho said. Ho said one possible explanation for the disappearances was that the publishing company is being pressured to scrap plans for an upcoming book rumored to be about an old girlfriend or mistress of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Its not uncommon in mainland China for company executives and dissidents to be detained for lengthy periods by the authorities or vanish without anyone claiming responsibility, but the disappearances are unprecedented in Hong Kong and have shocked the citys publishing industry. A few dozen protesters marched to Beijings Liaison Office on Sunday to demand information about Lee, Mighty Currents chief editor. Lee, 65, is also one of the companys major shareholders, the South China Morning Post reported. The companys co-owner, Gui Minhai, is also among those missing, as are three staff members. Mighty Current and its Causeway Bay Bookstore are known for gossipy titles about Chinese political scandals and other sensitive issues popular with visiting tourists from the mainland. Books by Mighty Current are banned on the mainland but are available in Hong Kong, which enjoys freedom of the press and other civil liberties unseen on the mainland. But the disappearances highlight growing concern that Beijing is moving to tighten its grip on the former British colony as Xi clamps down on dissent. The Hong Kong-Macau Affairs Office, which is under Chinas State Council, could not be reached Sunday for comment. 1 Skyscraper fire: The developers of the skyscraper that caught fire on New Years Eve in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and burned through the citys annual fireworks display say they will quickly repair the building. Emaar Properties said Sunday that a team of consultants is already working to repair the damage to the 63-story the Address Downtown tower. Officials also said the building was not fitted with any fireworks for the New Years display when it caught fire Thursday night. An investigation into the cause of the blaze is continuing. At least 14 people were injured, officials say. 2 Mexico violence: The mayor of a city south of Mexicos capital was shot to death Saturday, less than a day after taking office, officials said. Gunmen opened fire on Mayor Gisela Mota at her house in Temixco, said the government of Morelos state, where Temixco is located. Two assailants were killed and three others detained following a pursuit, said Morelos security commissioner Jesus Alberto Capella. Morelos Gov. Graco Ramirez blamed Motas killing on organized crime. Cartels seeking to control communities have often targeted local officials in Mexico. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Allies of Saudi Arabia followed the kingdoms lead Monday and scaled back diplomatic ties to Iran after the ransacking of Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, violence sparked by the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Sudan and the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain said they would sever ties with Iran, as Saudi Arabia did late Sunday. Within hours, the United Arab Emirates announced it would downgrade ties to Tehran to the level of the charge daffaires, while other nations issued statements criticizing Iran. The concerted campaign by Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia highlights the aggressive stance King Salman and his son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have adopted in confronting Iran, a longtime regional rival. What we have seen during the last 24 hours is unprecedented. ... It shows you Saudi Arabia has had enough of Iran and wants to send a message, said Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a political science professor at Emirates University. This is the Saudis saying: There is no limit to how far we will go. The standoff began Saturday, when Saudi Arabia executed Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others convicted of terror charges the largest mass execution carried out by the kingdom since 1980. Al-Nimr was a central figure in the Arab Spring-inspired protests by Saudi Arabias Shiite minority, who long denied advocating violence. News of his execution has sparked Shiite protests from Bahrain to Pakistan. In Iran, protesters attacked the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad. By late Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced the kingdom would sever its relations with Iran over the assaults, giving Iranian diplomatic personnel 48 hours to leave his country. On Monday, Saudi Arabias civil aviation authority suspended all flights to and from Iran, saying the move was based on the kingdoms cutting of diplomatic ties. Iran expressed regret over the attacks on the diplomatic missions in a letter to the United Nations on Monday and pledged to arrest those responsible. Saudi Arabia and Iran have long vied for influence in the Middle East, with their rivalry deepening after the toppling of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, which allowed Iran to assert dominance there, and the chaos of the Arab Spring, which gave rise to proxy wars in Syria and Yemen. The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, was en route to Riyadh on Monday with plans to later visit Tehran. Iran, a staunch supporter of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Saudi Arabia, a key backer of the opposition, have participated in three rounds of international talks aimed at ending the conflict. De Mistura has set a Jan. 25 target date for a fourth round of talks. The White House urged Saudi Arabia and Iran on Monday to not let their dispute derail efforts to end the Syrian civil war. PATHANKOT, India A fifth gunman was killed Monday on the third day of a siege at a heavily fortified Indian air base near the border with Pakistan and at least one attacker remained as troops worked to secure the sprawling compound, a military official said. Seven troops have been killed. The search operations at Pathankot air force base will continue until all areas have been completely secured, said Maj. Gen. Dushyant Singh, from Indias elite National Security Guard. The attack has dragged on since early Saturday as government troops struggle to contain the heavily armed attackers. At least twice over the weekend it appeared that the attack had ended but fresh gunfire and explosions erupted both times. Four attackers were reported killed by Saturday evening, and at least two were said to have been exchanging gunfire with troops as of Monday morning. By evening one had been shot dead, Singh said. Defense officials have said authorities had been alerted about a potential attack in the area on Friday, and that aerial surveillance at the base spotted the gunmen as they entered the compound, leading to criticism of the handling of the situation. Singh told reporters in Pathankot that it will take a long time to declare the base completely secure because of its size and geography. It is spread over more than 2,000 acres, including forests. The base has a fleet of Indias Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters, along with other military hardware. Officials have said no military hardware has been damaged in the fighting. The killings of soldiers inside a military base despite intelligence alerts have angered many in India. The biggest problem is the multiplicity of command and control. Nobody knows who is really in charge, said Rahul Bedi, an analyst for Janes Information Group. The air force base is on the highway that connects Indias insurgency-plagued Jammu and Kashmir state with the rest of the country. The Himalayan region of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed in its entirety by both. Rebels in Indias portion of Kashmir have been fighting since 1989 for independence or merger with Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the insurgents, a charge Islamabad denies, and the attack is being viewed as a possible attempt to unravel recent progress in their relationship. Obama Seeks to Curb Gun Violence At the start of the year, are making it even easier to carry a gun to work, into shopping centers and even into state buildings, including the capitol rotunda in Texas. That trend isnt stopping President Barack Obama, who has been concerned about the uptick in mass shootings. Hell meet with the US Attorney General today to see what kinds of he can issue to curb the almost weekly mass shootings and daily gun violence in America. Violence Creeps into Posh Neighborhoods Blogger Joe Monahan isnt feeling very optimistic at the beginning of the new year. He thinks an increase in as long as police departments remain understaffed. Blocking LGBTQ Discrimination Before the start of the 2016 Legislature, newly elected Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis is asking the council to a House bill that would allow businesses to deny services to people who are gay or transgender, if it violates their religious beliefs, according to Dan McKay. Sanders Hires Chacon Broadcast journalist , who worked at the old KGGM TV station in the 1980s before moving to Chicago, is now working for Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Griego Weighs Comeback Every state Senate seat is up this year, and Ringside Seats Milan Simonich hopes , who resigned his seat last year, runs again, so voters can formally reject the disgraced politician at the ballot box, writing, That outcome would be a sign that the old guard, the crony system and embarrassingly low standards arent acceptable anymore in New Mexico. Previewing Papal Visit Journalist Lauren Villagran, who will be covering visit to Mexico in February, traveled to Ciudad Juarez to write this preview story. Residents there, she reports, hope the pope can help turn the page on the citys dark past. Innovation and Dysfunction at LANL As the management contract at Los Alamos National Laboratory goes out for competitive bid, veteran reporter is taking a long look at the facility's legacy of innovation and dysfunction. Lynnes Faces Challenges at KAFB Ollie Reed reports Kirtland Air Force Base is getting some big time help from a former New Mexico Environment Department employee whos determined to keep more jet fuel from leaking into Albuquerques drinking wells. Meet . Renewable Energy Sources Gain Popularity Even as the Public Service Company of New Mexico doubles down on coal- and nuclear-generated power, most of the country is in spite of bargain prices for fossil fuels. Bullet Train Anyone? While New Mexicans still debate the effectiveness of the states Rail Runner, three New Mexico State University engineering graduates are in California, helping to build . New Mexico's Missing Recipe If you spent the recent holidays baking, you probably know that needs some smarter employees. When the General Mills brand managers forgot to include a recipe for New Mexico, a few smart residents chimed in to remind them weve been a state for more than 100 years. Polar Bear Plunge It was a cold start to the New Year for about 70 people brave enough to take the polar bear plunge into 26 degree water on Friday morning. Santa Fe Reporter New Mexico's statutory framework of regional water planning is in the midst of an overhaul that's shifting from a bottom-up approach to a more top-down method that has state staff and the Interstate Stream Commission calling more of the shots. Many regional water planners will see the proposed plan for water in their regions at the upcoming New Mexico Water Dialogue statewide meeting on Jan. 7. "That's where we sort of figure out what we're facing and what we should do about it," says Consuelo Bokum, New Mexico Water Dialogue board of directors member representing Santa Fe. The thrust of the meeting is about understanding the context of water planning and the big issues ahead. Bokum says, "It's just part of the state evolving and enhancing its ability to plan and think about the future." Panel discussions are set to explore other water planning efforts around the world, applicable scientific research and the latest news from the Interstate Stream Commission. Keynote speeches from Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, and Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell, R-Roswell, both from the New Mexico Legislature Water and Natural Resources Interim Committee, will brief attendees on relevant upcoming legislation. The state's regional water planning framework was created by the New Mexico Legislature in 1987. "Because we'd never done it before, it was sort of chaotic," Bokum says of those early years of water planning. "So the dialogue was formed as a chance to get people together from all over the state to talk about what issues were coming up." It took more than 10 years for the 16 regions to complete their plans for addressing demand that clearly exceeded supply through a "bottom-up" approach. According to the Water Dialogue's fall newsletter, Interstate Stream Commission Director Deborah Dixon told dialogue members during a July meeting, "We no longer have that leisure." The Interstate Stream Commission's staff refused to be interviewed for this story. Its spokeswoman, Melissa Dosher, writes SFR via email that during the Water Dialogue meeting, representatives from the commission will "be discussing the basis for the current Regional Water Plan update process and the status of the updates, as well as responding to feedback that we have received." The focus will likely remain on technical approaches, integrating water planning and funding for water infrastructure projects. The drought in 2013 fueled the state's decision to update the State Water Plan and ask for regional updates to incorporate into that plan. State officials decided to streamline the process via a "top-down" model to increase consistency, particularly for defining water supply and demand data, take some of the burden off regional volunteers, allow all plans to be simultaneously updated and more easily incorporate regional plans into the state water plan, according to Dosher. Regions and consultants completed draft plans, and the ISC has been "reviewing each draft for accuracy and consistency" and releasing revised draft plans to regions, as they're available, she writes, adding that seven of 16 regions have received those drafts for review, four more expected to be released in early January and the last five by the end of the month. The process of finalizing those plans will include public meetings for the rest of the state's residents to weigh in on the new plans. With the city and county having also been proactive in initiating research on how to plan for and conserve water, Bokum says, "It's not like this is the only game in town." A report commissioned by the city and county of Santa Fe and released in August called for planning to manage water resources in the face of potential decreases in the surface water supply as the climate changes. In the 21st century, water piped over the Continental Divide from Colorado's San Juan and Chama rivers is projected to decrease overall by one-quarter, see earlier spring runoff dates and lower flows in summer, leave less water in Heron Reservoir and in general be able to meet all contractual allocations less frequently. Shortages in the Colorado River Basin could also lead to those water users calling water from the San Juan River to meet those demands, taking more water from New Mexico. The report found that with projected population growth, without adaptation measures taken, the Santa Fe Basin faces an annual deficit of 9,000 acre-feet of water, even if climate change brings warm, wet weatherand a 14,000 acre-foot annual deficit if the weather turns hotter and drier. Santa Fe Reporter Here is some stuff in the news today... RIP Natalie Cole , who has died at age 65. Cole was probably most well-known for her 1991 single "Unforgettable," on which she dueted with the voice of her late father, Nat King Cole, "and the track gave her a top 20 pop hit in both Britain and the US. The single won her Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Performance, while thealbum, a chart-topper in the US, won Album of the Year. It also sold 7m copies in the US alone, and doubled that figure through international sales." My condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, and fans.[Content Note: War on agency] Reproaction's Erin Matson and Pamela Merritt write: " 2015 was a terrible year for abortion rights. 2016 does not have to be 2015 ." And Imani Gandy and Jessica Mason Pieklo write: " Here's Why 2016 Could Be the Biggest Year for Reproductive Rights and the Courts in Decades ." Two must-reads for today.[CN: Violence; religious extremism] Oh fuck: "Saudi Arabia rallied Sunni allies to its side in a growing diplomatic row with Iran on Monday, deepening a sectarian split across the Middle East following the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. Bahrain and Sudan cut all ties with Iran, following Riyadh's example the previous day. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told Reuters Riyadh would also halt air traffic and commercial relations between the rival powers. He blamed Iran's 'aggressive policies' for the diplomatic action, alluding to years of tension that spilled over on Saturday night when Iranian protesters stormed the kingdom's embassy in Tehran. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to hundreds of thousands of Iranians, partially downgraded its relations but the other Gulf Arab countriesKuwait, Qatar, and Omanstayed above the fray."[CN: Misogyny; assassination] How utterly horrible: "The newly installed mayor of the Mexican city of Temixco was killed on Saturday , according to a tweet from Morelos state Governor Graco Ramirez. Gisela Mota, 33, formally took office with the new year on Friday. Mexico City newspapersaid she was attacked at her home by four armed gunmen. Around 7:30 a.m., the assassins entered Mota's home, beat her, and then shot her in the head, according toParamedics arrived at 7:50 a.m. and confirmed she was dead. Afterward, the suspects tried to flee in a van, but police followed in hot pursuit and exchanged fire with the suspects before killing two of them. The other two were taken into custody, according toRamirez referred to Mota as a 'young and beloved companion,' but said he would not be intimidated by her death. 'We will not relent,' he wrote." Killedafter she took office. I don't even have words.Welp! "The furor over recent Chicago police shootings has legislators considering whether voters should be allowed to recall Mayor Rahm Emanuel or future officials who hold his post. Illinois state law currently addresses only the recall of a governor, a provision voters approved in 2010 after former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested and impeached. Now, state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, wants voters to also have the power to remove the mayor of the country's third-largest city." Get rid of him. One way or another. Rahm needs to go.[CN: Privacy violations; profiling] Goddammit: "The Transportation Security Administration's new rules for screening passengers with its controversial full-body scannerswhich were quietly changed just before the busy holiday travel seasonrepresent a significant policy reversal that could affect your next flight. Getting checked by the TSA's advanced-imaging technology used to be entirely optional, allowing those who refused a scan to be subjected to a pat-down. ...But on a Friday in late December, the TSA revised its rules, saying an 'opt out' is no longer an option for certain passengers. ...'Most people will be able to opt out,' says Bruce Anderson, a TSA spokesman. 'Some passengers will be required to undergo advanced-imaging screening if their boarding pass indicates that they have been selected for enhanced screening, in accordance with TSA regulations, prior to their arrival at the security checkpoint. This will occur in a very limited number of circumstances.'" The fuck.Time to update your Periodic Table tattoos, nerds! " Four new elements have been added to the periodic table, finally completing the table's seventh row and rendering science textbooks around the world instantly out of date. The elements, discovered by scientists in Japan, Russia, and America, are the first to be added to the table since 2011, when elements 114 and 116 were added. ...The four new elements, all of which are synthetic, were discovered by slamming lighter nuclei into each other and tracking the following decay of the radioactive superheavy elements. Like other superheavy elements that populate the end of the periodic table, they only exist for fractions of a second before decaying into other elements." The elements will be officially named later this year.[CN: Disablism; abuse] This Indianapolis bar's response to an unfathomably rude patron, who was annoyed at being inconvenienced by another patron almost dying, is tremendous.[CN: Images may be NSFW] Beautiful: " The Body Shapes of Dancers by the Outstanding Photographer Howard Schatz ."[CN: Video autoplays at link] And finally! Won't somebody PLEASE play with this French bulldog ?! Goat|Paperclip 2016: Because the actual Republican candidates are a waking nightmare. The blowback outside the campaign [after Weaver made shitty misogynist comments in an October interview with Bloomberg Politics] was fierce. But there was also blowback within the Sanders campaign as well, as some aides said the language crossed a line. Mr. Sanders said on MSNBC that the comment "was inappropriate," although it is not clear whether he suggested that Mr. Weaver apologize. However, others in the campaign did. The Sanders campaign's New Hampshire state director, Julia Barnes, asked Mr. Weaver to apologize for the comments, and voiced her displeasure to him in clear terms. He never did, telling unhappy staffers on a conference call after the report aired that their team needed to be mindful that the Clinton campaign was about to unleash attacks on Mr. Sanders, according to three people with direct knowledge of the episode. We are now a mere TEN MONTHS away from the presidential election, and we know two things for certain: 1. All of the Republican candidates are garbage nightmares; and 2. None of them should be allowed anywhere near the Oval Office.Let's see what the Dirtbag Dozen are up to today!Front runner and gold toilet aficionadocontinues to be suuuuuper terrible! And his daughter and surrogate spokesperson Ivanka appears on the cover of(because obviously) to tell us all that he is not a misogynist and is, in fact, "one of the great advocates for women." Sure. "I think my dad is highly gender-neutral. ...He 100 percent believes in equality of gender." Case closed, Your Honor!Joe McCarthy impersonatoris raffling off an engraved shotgun , because of course he is.Thirsty jerkcontinues to say many smart and decent things , like "President Barack Obama 'has deliberately weakened America' by making an effort to 'humble' the nation on the world stage" and "Not only is Hillary Clinton incompetent, shes also a liar." He seems neat!Meanwhile, pugilist, mixing Cruz's gun fetishization with Rubio's condescending commentary about the President, " called President Barack Obama 'a petulant child' for using executive action to curb gun violence." This fucking guy.Something somethingliberty isolationism Jesus.Shyamalanian surprise less smart brotherhas a terrific plan to rescue his candidacy from swirling around the bottom of the bowl. Spoiler Alert! It's very basic politics and it's definitely not going to work!Sweater vest supermodelis taking aim at Cruz by mocking him for having readon the Senate floor during a filibuster in 2013. Good one, Santorum. A compelling argument.Professor of Bible bigotryis also going after Cruz, with ads that essentially say he's not homophobic enough to be president. Cool argument, bro!Reverse surging oddballhas unveiled his flat tax plan . Terrific. "The plan, which Carson announced during an interview on Fox News, would tax individuals and corporations alike at 14.9 percent and would eliminate tax deductions and loopholes." Sounds amazing. A+ venue.Corporate power-failureis being criticized for tweeting that, although she loves her alma mater Stanford, she was "rooting for a Hawkeyes win today." Whooooooops! "It earned her criticism for what many saw as an attempt to pander to voters in Iowa, the influential first-caucus state. But an interview with Dana Bash on CNN on Sunday, Fiorina said her tweet was clearly 'tongue in cheek.' 'Can't a girl ever have a little bit of fun?' Fiorina said." THAT'S ALL THEY REALLY WANT TO HAVE! Fiorina doesn't get that people understand it's a joke; they just think it's a shitty one that reveals something about her opportunistic nature. Add that to the list of things Fiorina doesn't understand about politics and policy, which currently includes"Moderate""is airing his first television advertisement in New Hampshire this week , hoping to break through in the chaotic Republican presidential race with a debut spot that highlights his rough upbringing, personal resilience and governing achievements. The intended takeaway from the 30-second ad, which uses arresting imagery and is heavy on biography: 'John Kasich never gives up.'" Hahahaha even when he definitely should! Give up and go home, John Kasich!is still a real person who is running for president.Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle...has not dropped out![CN: sexual assault; video may autoplay at link] responded to a heckler with: "You are very rude and I'm not going to ever call on you." Haha! The heckler was Republican New Hampshire State Representative Katherine Prudhomme O'Brien, and she later "told reporters she was trying to ask Clinton about Juanita Broaddrick a woman who in 1999 made rape allegations against Bill Clinton." This, after Trump has taken to using Bill Clinton's history of sexual misconduct against Clinton, tweeting : "If Hillary thinks she can unleash her husband, with his terrible record of women abuse, while playing the women's card on me, she's wrong!" Clinton's got to come up with a good response to this line of attack, and I frankly think it should be something like: "Mr. Trump, if you think I've never had words for my husband about his misogyny, then you obviously don't know me very well. But my husband isn't running for president: You are. And I will continue to have words for you aboutmisogyny."Y'all are well familiar by now with my disdain for' campaign manager Jeff Weaver, and buried deep in this piece on Weaver comes this tidbit:So, a female state campaign director asks Weaver to apologize for misogynistic comments about Clinton, and not only does Weaver not apologize, but instead just demonizes Clinton.I really dislike this guy. And I really find it difficult to trust Sanders when he puts so much stock in someone who is such an asshole.Talk about these things! Or don't. Whatever makes you happy. Life is short. NEW YORK: A U.S. judge has cleared a class-action suit against social networking giant Facebook from investors claiming it failed to fully disclose its risks at the time of its 2012 share offering, a media report said. Judge Robert Sweet on December 11 certified the class-action suit which claimed Facebook failed to provide adequate information to all its investors, phys.org reported. In the case led by the North Carolina Retirement Systems, Raleigh, and other public pension funds, the plaintiffs claimed Facebook withheld key financial information ahead of the initial public offering in 2012. The judge said there was evidence presented that some investors failed to get the same information as investment banks and other institutional investors that were close to the underwriters. He said the case could move forward with subclasses of retail and institutional investors Facebook has denied the accusations and said it would appeal against the decision. Also Read: Government Focusing On Backyard Poultry To Help BPL Families 10 Things to Know About the New Bankruptcy Code HYDERABAD: Taking the first step towards redesigning the entire road network in Hyderabad, the Telangana government today laid the foundation stone for multi-level flyovers at three places in the city. State Information Technology Minister K. Tarakarama Rao laid the foundation stone for the multi-level flyovers under the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) at KBR Park in Banjara Hills and at Mindspace and Rajiv Park in Hitec City. Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali and other state ministers attended the foundation stone laying ceremony. Tarakarama Rao, the son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said multi-level flyovers and skywalks like those in cities across the world would be built in Hyderabad in three years at a cost of over 20,000 crore. "We will go ahead with the major plan for road improvement with or without anybody's help," he said in an oblique reference to the central government. He said the SRDP was prepared to meet the growing requirements of the city, which has a population of over one crore. Under the plan, multi-level flyovers, skywalks and signal-less junctions will be developed at 54 places in the city. Under the first phase, 50 flyovers will be built at 18 junctions at a cost of 1,096.71 crore At three places where foundation stone was laid today, 26 flyovers will be developed at 10 junctions at a cost of 886 crore. Around the sprawling KBR Park, which connects the posh Banjara Hills and Jubliee Hills to the Hitec City, multi-level flyovers will be constructed at six junctions at an estimated cost of 510 crore. The TRS government laid the foundation stone for the mega project with an eye on the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), likely to be held this month. On the occasion, Mr Dattatreya -- who is the Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad -- said Hyderabad would become the No.1 state capital in the country. Read Also: Mumbai, Delhi Figure in World's Top-30 'Super Cities' PM Calls for Integrating Yoga, Indian Medicine in Health Care BANGALORE: More of Indians, not just students but people travelling on work, tourist and business visas have been deported from U.S. recently, reports ET. As per another advisory, travelers from India, not just the students, are asked to carry all the valid data and documents. The deportations have made India strongly emphasize the need to honor the visas issued by U.S. itself. Indians have been asked by the government to carry the supporting documentation that would clearly state the location of stay, financial support sponsorship and other details. "Government of India continues to remain closely engaged with the US Government on this subject. We have strongly emphasized the need for the US authorities to honor the visas issued by their own Embassy/Consulates,'' said the advisory. Earlier, Indian students were denied entry who were travelling to seek admission in Silicon Valley University, San Jose and Northwestern Polytechnic University, Fremont. Even though the students carried their valid visas they were restricted from entering and were deported. As per MEA, blacklisting of the universities is not the reason behind the deportation. Assessment of individual applicants by the immigration authorities has led to this decision. The border patrol agents did not find the information presented by the student consistent with the visa status and thus they were deported. According to the universities, visa regulations have been tightened after the Paris terror attacks and these deportations have got nothing to do with the blacklisting. Gauging the decisions, the government has suggested the Indian students to ensure the proper authorization and capacities of the universities they are applying to. Students are asked to carry along healthcare arrangements, study plans, financial support, housing and other documents for interviews with the U.S. immigration officials. Read More: Norway to Help India Manage Construction Waste NITI Aayog Turns One; Focus On 'Think-Tank' Role in New Year MUMBAI: To reduce pollution and work towards a cleaner environment, the Maharashtra government is expected to waive value added tax, road tax and registration charges for electric vehicles, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said. "I am committing to you publicly that Mahashtra will waive VAT, Road Tax and registration for all electric vehicles in the state," Goyal told reporters after inaugurating the bio-CNG plant at Mahindra World City near here. Stating that the government would extend its support towards "cost-effective solutions" that would make India cleaner and greener, Goyal said he had taken up the issue of waiving registration charges of electric vehicles with the union government and was hopeful of implementing it. "I spoke to the Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) about 15 minutes ago. I am hopeful of meeting him tomorrow to carry this programme further. I can assure you that we will make that happen. We want to see faster roll out of electric vehicles not only (Mahindra Group's electric vehicle) Reva but all electric vehicles in the country", he said. Asked about time frame for launching the scheme in Mahashtra, ruled by the BJP, he said, "if you look up the last 18 months on how fast the Ministry (was working), you will get the answer. I think initially we should launch it in some cities of Maharashtra", he said. Talking about the Bio-CNG plant situated at Mahindra World City, Singaperumalkoil about 55 km from here, he said, the plant would contribute to greening of India and make the country a better place to live in. "Our government will support any initiative than can provide cost-effective solutions towards making India cleaner and greener", he said. To a query, he said the Ministry was working on providing feature in which gasoline stations also have charging points for electric vehicles. "We are working towards building up that infrastructure. It could be a public-private partnership.", he said. On the rural electrification programme, Goyal said for the first time in the country, December 29 had "zero shortage of power" and everybody who wanted electricity had 100Percent "availability". "For the first time in the history of India, 100Percent power was met and you had grid connectivity for all at one price which was as low as Rs 2.31. This is for the first time in the history of India", he said. The bio-CNG facility has been set up to create carbon neutral ecosystem at Mahindra World City. Spread over 1,000 square metres, the facility would have the capacity to convert eight tonnes of food and kitchen waste generated daily at Mahindra World City into 1,000m3 of raw biogas. Further the raw bio gas can be enriched to yield 400 kg per day of purified CNG grade fuel which is equivalent to a 200 kW power plant, an official said. To a query about the status of the rural electrification programme, Goyal said the goverment would increase the programme from the present coverage of 100 villages to 200 villages per day. "Currently, we are electrifying about 100 villages a day and we are going to ramp it up to 200 villages a day. So our plan is to electrify 18,452 villages..", he said. He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech last year said country would have total electrification of villages by 1,000 days. Out of the 5.97 villages in the country, 5.79 lakh received grid power as of May 31, 2015. The Centre plans to provide electrification to remaining 18,452 villages by May 31, 2018. On promotion of LED bulbs by the ministry, Goyal said, "the government has planned to distribute seven crore LED bulbs during the current financial year". "Govt will distribute 7 crore LED bulbs in current year. Six lakh bulbs were distributed in 2013-14. But it became seven crore in current year. Price of LED bulbs came down by 76Percent. We are distributing four lakh bulbs every day", he said. Read Also: Foundation Stone Laid For Multi-Level Flyovers in Hyderabad Mumbai, Delhi Figure in World's Top-30 'Super Cities' BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for integrating Yoga and traditional Indian medicine more closely into the health care system and make wellness a part of life for all in India and rest of the world. Inaugurating an "International Conference on Frontiers in Yoga Research and its Applications" at Jigani, about 30 km from Bengaluru, he asked health professionals, policy makers, government organizations and industry to bridge the distance between the various forms of medicine systems. "I hope that you will integrate yoga and traditional Indian medicine more closely into our health care system...," Modi told the gathering at the Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, a deemed university. "My vision for health care is an integrated system that understands and builds on the best and most effective of different traditions," the Prime Minister said. READ ALSO: Government Approves MoU With Bloomberg Philanthropies On Smart City Modi Government to Announce 20 Smart Cities in January WTC Observatory Of 150 U.S. cities included in the Wallethub's 2016's Best & Worst Cities to Find a Job study, the Big Apple only ranked 108. (AP/Bebeto Matthews) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Is your new year's resolution to find a good job? If so, New York City might not be the best place to start looking, according to a new study. Of 150 U.S. cities included in WalletHub's 2016's Best & Worst Cities to Find a Job study, the Big Apple ranked 108th. In other words, New Yorkers have a below-average chance of finding a job, according to the report. Plano, Texas, was the easiest city in the country to score a new job, the study found. In order to identify the strongest local job markets in the country, WalletHub's analysts compared the 150 most populated cities in the country. The data set ranges from job opportunities to employment growth to monthly median starting salary. "New York ranked 90th for its job market, mostly due to the low number of job opportunities at just .32 (119th in the study) per capita, and the low average monthly median starting salary at $2,208 (111th in the study)," said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. "New York also has a low percentage of persons with disabilities employed at just 29.7 percent (ranked 110th in the study)," she added. In terms of the socioeconomic environment, New York ranked No. 143, having the 10th worst median annual income at $32,695, she said. "Residents here spend the most time working and commuting with an average of nine hours per day. The city has the seventh worst housing affordability and a low percentage of employees with private health insurance at 69.5 percent." Thankfully, there's some good news for borough residents. The number of jobs and the average weekly wage paid to Staten Island workers have gone up over the past year, according to data recently released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. FOLLOW Tracey Porpora on STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The more things change, the more they stay the same. In celebration of its new ambulance fleet, Northwell Health tweeted a picture Monday comparing a historical Staten Island ambulance with its newest design. A Staten Island ambulance in 1917 - nearly 100 years later we're rolling out the new #Northwell Health fleet. pic.twitter.com/0XAaM6IVdy Northwell Health (@NorthwellHealth) January 4, 2016 The first picture shows a man in a white suit standing in front of an old ambulance. The ambulance is small, dark and boxy. Its spare tire is visible in the photo. The body of the ambulance reads: "The Staten Island Hospital Ambulance, Borough of Richmond, No. 3." Below the historical picture is a picture of one of the new Northwell Health ambulances, donated by Sondra and David S. Mack. The color of the ambulance is now white and blue, and the back section appears to be larger. An ambulance driver is not pictured. What do you think of the new design? STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Well, that didn't take long. The North Shore of Staten Island, which saw an increase in murder and shootings in 2015, has already seen its first shooting of the new year. A 19-year-old was shot in West Brighton on Sunday night, the third day of 2016. Police said some kind of verbal dispute got out of hand. Maybe somebody was upset that the Jets got bounced out of the playoffs. The man was shot in the leg on Henderson Avenue, outside of the West Brighton Houses complex. Police are still searching for the gunman. It's a refrain we heard all too often in 2015. The Advance did an interactive map recently, showing where all of Staten Island's 13 homicides of 2015 took place. Ten of them were within the confines of the 120th Precinct on the North Shore. One murder involved a member of a so-called "youth group" known as the Young Paper Chasers. The victim in another had a history of drug arrests. A murder of two brothers grew out of a dispute in an after-hours club. Another came on the heels of an attempted robbery. One involved a love triangle. An early morning shooting in Clifton that killed one and wounded another remains unsolved. Killings took place on Jersey Street in West Brighton. Or Vanderbilt Avenue in Clifton. One murder was actually inside of the West Brighton Houses. Other shootings took place in those and other areas of the North Shore, areas where much of Staten Island's poor and black populations live, where the borough's public and private housing developments are. Hasn't that always been the way, though? We can have marches for Eric Garner, and hoodie-wearing demonstrations for Trayvon Martin. The Twitterverse lights up every time there's a mass shooting someplace. But where is the outrage for the every-day victims of gun violence? Take a look at the Advance's interactive map, look at the faces of the victims. They are the faces of gun violence here, as they are in a lot of other major American cities. Let's make that part of the gun debate in this country. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has rung in the new year by promising to use executive action in the battle against gun violence in America. The president hasn't made all his plans public yet, but the main thrust will be ways that background checks can be expanded with an eye toward closing the so-called gun show loophole. Well, better late than never for Obama, we guess. But if the issue is so important to the president, why did he wait until literally his last year in office before putting this marker down? If he couldn't achieve anything on guns during his first seven years in office, including during part of his first term when he had a Democratic Congress as well, how is he going to do it as a lame duck? In any event, the measures are unlikely to do anything to curb violence wrought by illegal guns. It's not going to do much to stop the gun violence that we continue to see on the North Shore of Staten Island. But it's sure to win the meme war on Facebook. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- There are some things that are best left to the professionals. For instance: Surgery, tattoos -- and your fanciest little black dress or suit. That's why we asked readers who they trust their clothes with as part of the 2015 Best of Staten Island Shopping & Services poll. Here's your "Best Dry Cleaner" winner: MARIO'S FRENCH DRY CLEANERS, 191 New Dorp Lane, New Dorp (298 votes) Perhaps Mario's French Dry Cleaners was voted the best because it's been cleaning customers clothes for 52 years. The first location was opened in Brooklyn in 1963 by Mario Desantis, an immigrant from Italy who learned how to tailor from his father. They moved to their New Dorp location in 1979, and the business has been operated by family ever since. "What sets us apart is our experience," said Elena Desantis, Mario's daughter and the current owner. "We know our customers, we've had the same customers since my father started this business." Desantis even says some people travel from Brooklyn to their Staten Island store, because they only trust their clothes with them. They offer their services for every type of fabric, wedding gowns, table and bed linens and even area rugs. They also offer same day cleaning, if the customer requests it and tailor services for customers clothing. "We want to thank our customers, they've been coming to us for over 40 years and it's amazing," said Desantis. AND THE RUNNERS UP ARE: Dazzle: 203 Kariss Dry Cleaners: 160 Kim's: 122 Charming Cleaners: 113 Danielle's Dry Cleaners: 99 Hollywood Dry Cleaners: 85 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Jury selection for murder suspect Dante Viggiano's trial could begin as early as Monday. At a conference in November, state Supreme Court Justice William E. Garnett told prosecutors and the defense he intends to start jury selection Monday or immediately thereafter. Viggiano, 21, may present an insanity defense. His lawyer, Eric Nelson, has declined comment. Authorities allege Viggiano broke into Peter Gialluisi's Venus Place home in Huguenot around 9:50 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2014. When Gialluisi and his wife, Vincenza, came home and interrupted the break-in, he stabbed them, police allege. Peter Gialluisi, 66, died of his wounds, while Mrs. Gialluisi, now 67, was badly injured. Sources with knowledge of the case told the Advance that Viggiano had previously been at the victims' home. He showed up there at about 4:30 p.m. on July 20 of last year, said sources. Viggiano rang the doorbell, and when Mrs. Gialluisi answered, he said his name was Mike, and was looking to speak with her husband, sources said. Mrs. Gialluisi didn't know him, though, and when he became incoherent, she brushed him off, said sources. Viggiano returned again at 9:30 p.m. and rang the doorbell, but fled on foot, sources said. That led Mrs. Gialluisi to file a harassment complaint. She told police her husband didn't know him, sources said. Viggiano was also charged in a July 19, 2014 case in which he's accused of stealing a car in Rossville. Cops say he gave a bogus name, address and date of birth when arrested. Viggiano identified himself as Johnathan Rameriz, said a criminal complaint. A 31-count indictment, which encompasses all the alleged incidents, charges Viggiano with first- and second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault, burglary, criminal weapon possession, grand larceny, stalking, false personation and stolen-property possession. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Assistant District Attorneys Adam Silberlight and Natalie Barros are prosecuting the case. The deadly episode has spawned a lawsuit. Vincenza Gialluisi recently sued the city and the Health and Hospitals Corporation in state Supreme Court, St. George. Her civil complaint alleges Viggiano was treated at an undisclosed city hospital sometime prior to the deadly episode and was released "without proper medical care or follow-up" and without "proper medication," despite a doctor's knowing he was "a danger to the community." Viggiano is not a named defendant. 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